DGPs of AP and TS to appear before NHRC today

Hyderabad: DGPs of both the Telugu-speaking States will appear before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Thursday. While the Telangana DGP will appear in connection with the alleged encounter of Viquaruddin and his gang near Alair, the AP DGP will appear in connection with the encounter in Seshachalam forest where 20 red sanders wood-cutters were killed.

A team of NHRC led by Justice K G Balakrishnan, Chairperson, which arrived here on Wednesday, said the main function of the NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) is to protect the civil, political, economic, cultural and social rights of the common man. Justice Balakrishnan inaugurated a three-day 'Open Hearing' and 'Camp Sitting' of the National Human Rights Commission on matters of human rights violations related to the people of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana at Dr MCR HRD Institute, Hyderabad, on Wednesday.

Justice Balakrishnan said poor and marginalised sections of people need support of the States in protection of their rights and the Commission has identified the problems and incidents of violation of human rights and recommend relief to the victims. He thanked the State governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for their support, co-operation and coordination in conducting the NHRC activities.

In his introductory remarks, A K Garg, Registrar (Legal), highlighted activities of the Commission. He said the NHRC noticed that atrocities on Scheduled Castes were being committed in one form or the other. Stating that both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana States had been facing the problem of Maoists, Justice Balakrishnan said if the voice of the poor was not heard, they may get influenced by the Maoists. Raymond Peter, IAS, Principal Secretary, said though Telangana is a new State, several social welfare schemes were being implemented in a big way.