PM Modi slams ‘selective' interpretation of human rights

The country should be wary of such people who try to dent its image in the name of raising the issue of human rights violations, says PM

NEW DELHI: Slamming those who engage in selective interpretation of human rights with an eye on political gains and loss, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that such conduct harms human rights as well as democracy.

Speaking at the 28th foundation day of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Modi said the country should be wary of such people who try to dent its image in the name of raising the issue of human rights violations.

In his speech, Modi highlighted a number of measures taken by his government to empower the poor, women and persons with disabilities and prevent injustice against them, before launching a scathing criticism of those who choose to see human rights violations in some incidents and not in others.

There is another aspect associated with human rights which I want to speak about today. In recent years, some people have begun interpreting human rights in their own ways prioritising their interests.

They see human rights violation in one incident but cannot see it in another incident of similar nature. Such mindset harms human rights a lot, he said.

He added, Human rights suffer a great deal when they are looked at through a political prism and considered according to political gains and loss. Such selective conduct harms democracy a great deal too.

Though Modi did not name any person or organisation, the ruling BJP has been critical of a section of human rights groups, including those with a global presence, claiming they have highlighted cases of alleged rights violations selectively and in a one-sided manner to target the government.

The prime minister stressed that duties are equally important as rights and they should not be discussed separately as they complement each other.