rediff.com: NHRC directs defence ministry to pay Rs 12 lakh to evicted farmers

In an unusual directive against the armed forces, the National Human Rights Commission has ordered the defence ministry to pay Rs 12 lakh to the farmers evicted forcibly by the army in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh.

Taking suo motu cognisance of a news item in a national daily pertaining to the incident, the commission, besides recommending monetary compensation from Centre, also observed for the first time the "urgency of amendment in the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 and emphasised the need to empower NHRC to inquire more effectively into the violations of human rights by the armed forces."

The NHRC, in its order on Wednesday, further directed the Centre to pay Rs 10,000 to each of the four farmers beaten up by army men and Rs 5,000 to each of the farmers forcibly evicted.

The news item on the attack by army personnel on the farmers and demolition of sheds set-up at Rythu Bazaar in Hyderabad on the military land with the permission of the army authorities, alleged that "about 300 army men went on a rampage in a predawn swoop in the Mehdipatnam area of the state capital Hyderabad, when most of the farmers were away."

In response to the commission's notice, defence officials "justified the action of the army men to forcibly evict the farmers because of the back-tracking of its assurance by the state government to vacate it after the specified period for which it was given by the army, and denied violation of any human rights."

However, the district collector, in her response said "hundreds of military personnel demolished properties erected at Rythu Bazaar when she and police personnel were silent spectators. Around 80 farmers were present at the time of the incident. They were manhandled resulting in injuries to four farmers."

"Vegetables worth Rs 1.70 lakh were strewn away. Despite requests, the temporary structures, fittings and fixtures and other items were totally damaged. The civil supplies counter as well as borewell were damaged and pump-set was taken away. The damage worked out to Rs 11.26 lakh. An FIR was lodged at Bahadurpura police station in this regard."

After considering both the responses, the NHRC said, "The responses highlight the piquant situation where the versions of the two responsible and highly placed functionaries of the governments could have such wide variance. The collector's report is an eye-witness account supported by photographs.

"The question really is whether high-handed acts were committed by army personnel of which Collector's report gives a graphic account.

"To deny the entire event and to say that the allegation regarding manhandling of farmers and destruction of property to which officer of the rank of a district collector is an eye witness as 'malicious, unfounded and levied to tarnish the image of army' and that 'till the time the troops left the site, not a single case of injury to any individual was reported' seems to be a statement made with greater sense of courage than a care for accuracy born out of unbiased verification of facts."

The commission desires to mention that such "sweeping denials will not either protect or improve image of army nor advance the interests of justice," the NHRC order said.


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