​National seminar told of 'paralysing' impact of corruption

Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission Justice H.L. Dattu has told a national gathering that good governance and development was being hindered by the systemic corruption prevalent in the country.

The former Chief Justice of India was speaking at the inauguration of the Commission's two-day national seminar on "Good Governance, Development and Human Rights", held at the National Law University.

While there had been some improvements in terms of transparency through the Right to Information Act, Justice Dattu said that corruption had the potential to paralyse a nation.

Resources that should have been deployed towards realising human rights were being diverted due to corruption, he said.

Justice Dattu added that India would find it difficult to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations without improving efficiency.

Good governance cannot be achieved if there was corruption and a rapidly growing population, he said.

Also speaking at the event, National Law University vice-chancellor Professor Ranbir Singh highlighted the increasing link between crime and politics.

He questioned how human rights could be protected when a growing number of people with criminal backgrounds were being elected as Members of Parliament.

The seminar was divided into four sessions which explored:

• Accountability, transparency and human rights
• Identifying challenges to good governance and development
• Creating digital democracy through e-governance
• Identifying challenges to good governance and development and the road ahead.

The objective of the national seminar was to raise awareness about the importance of good governance in relation to human rights and development and to identify the challenges and opportunities for progress.

Date: 20 August 2016

Source: National Human Rights Commission of India