By IANS
New Delhi : The UN Day of Solidarity with Victims of Torture Tuesday went by largely unobserved in the country except for candle light vigils and marches held by Amnesty International across the country.
International NGOs Amnesty and People's Watch have put forth a list of demands to the government of India, including why India has not yet ratified the Convention Against Torture (CAT) and other inhuman treatment and punishment despite being a signatory to it since 1997.
Only eight countries, including India, have not ratified the convention.
"It is necessary to ratify CAT to make appropriate changes in the prevailing laws and enable institutions and executing authorities in India to be committed and accountable in reality to address the practice of torture," said Mukul Sharma, director of Amnesty International India.
Torture encompasses all acts of ill-treatment, cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment by police, security forces and jail authorities of the state that result in severe physical or mental pain or suffering.
This includes targeted killings, fake encounters, custodial violence and extra-judicial punishments in the form of rape and even death. It also includes similar acts by non-state authorities, be they armed groups, corporations, schools and community level decision making bodies.
Another of their demands is that the UN special team should be permitted to come to India and report on the cases of torture.
"Right to life should mean right to life with dignity. The use of torture can never be justified, either legally or morally, and its effectiveness in preventing attacks by armed groups has never been proved," said Henri Tiphagne, executive director of People's Watch.
Both the organisations are spearheading a letter writing campaign and a petition to the prime minister in this regard which will be submitted in the monsoon session of parliament.
Surprisingly, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is not observing the day. "We don't observe this day," said a spokesperson of NHRC.