UAPA necessary to protect rights, says RK Singh

Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister RK Singh on Thursday said tough laws such as Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) are needed for protecting the rights of people and in dealing with those who indulge in crimes against "fellow human beings".

While addressing the inaugural session of the two-day 'National Conference on Human Rights in Indian Culture and Philosophy', Singh said respecting the rights of women has been an old tradition of the Indian society much before the West practiced it in the 1960s."It is our country that has expanded the concept of human rights by ensuring houses, piped water connection, electricity, gas connection for all; health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh to every family below the poverty line and right to food that ensured 80 crore people got free food. This is the concept of our human rights and let no one preach to us," he said.

Speaking at the event, NHRC chief justice (retd) Arun Kumar Mishra said, "It is not understood why there is an effort to divide different religions when there is no difference in human beings and why should they be differentiated in the name of religion. He emphasised that there is a need to again implement the concept of Mughal emperor Akabr's Deen-e-Illahi. He said, "Sarva Dharma Sambhav or all religions are the same has been the ethos of India and hegemony of one religion has never been part of our culture. It never was and will never be." Extolling the virtues of Indian culture, he said all religions speak of peace and non-violence. "Peaceful co-existence is our culture, our dharma. If our blood is not different, how can there be any difference between religions and gods? It is time to think about the oneness of god. All religions have one goal," he said.