Naveen's 5T came late, Odisha in country's top-3 rights violation by cops, docs since 2015-16!

Bhubaneswar: Here is a shocker. When it comes to violations of human rights, Odisha recorded a  dubious distinction of getting ranked at number 3 in the country till date this financial year (2019-20).

The State has recorded over 11 rights violation cases in every 24 hours.

As per the latest data available with National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), a massive 2,080 cases of rights violation in Odisha were registered with NHRC during the span of April - September 2019. In the index of rights violation complaints registered with NHRC, Odisha finished 3rd after UP and Delhi.

Odisha also figured in the top ten states nationally that have recorded maximum cases of custodial deaths. With around 60 cases of custodial deaths in 2017-18, Odisha was ranked at 9th in the dubious list led by UP and West Bengal.

Significantly, when CM Naveen Patnaik launched his pet scheme 'Mo Sarkar' in Odisha police and hospitals on Gandhi Jayanti, the more shocking revelation is it is police and doctors who are in the dock for nearly 90 per cent of rights violation in Odisha.

Moreover, a year-wise analysis also showed over two-thirds of rights violations were registered against the State police. And doctors come a close second to the cops in the State.

And the charges are: illegal detention and torture against cops and denial of proper treatment to patients against doctors, denial of bed to even patients with grave disease conditions against hospital staff.

The above factual submission shows how the much-acclaimed 5T model of Naveen Patnaik government came too late.

Because, Odisha has made it into the dubious top-league of rights violation since 2015-16, when for the first time in the State’s history, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had registered a whopping 16,278 rights violation cases, up by around 178 per cent vis-a-vs 2014-15. The State recorded 8,750 rights violation cases in 2016-17 to finish number 2 rights violator in the country. And the saga goes on.

More worrying stats: Odisha was also at number 4 in the country where the NHRC had recommended maximum monetary relief for the victims in 2015-16 and 2016-17 .  The total penalty amount the NHRC had recommended to be paid to victims stood at a whopping Rs 1.83 crore in 2016-17.

Human rights organisations blame the State Government for such a poor rights record. Besides politicisation of police force, Rights activists attribute the poor show to police not following the standard operating procedures and guidelines while arresting individuals, especially in tribal districts. They call for implementing rights-based governance model to shed this dubious tag.

Cases pertaining to caste discrimination in Odisha also share a significant number in total rights violations. Data shows NHRC registered 70 cases on rights violation of dalits during the period of 2016-19. Odisha is again listed in the top-10 states nationally.

Also, violation of labour rights and cases of bonded labour together constitute around 5-8 per cent of total rights violation cases, suggest the combined data of NHRC and OHRC (Odisha Human Rights Commission).