The statement issued by as many as 71 individuals and members of various human rights organisations contended that the public has the right to know the basis for the decision of the Modi-led selection committee.
A big casualty of the appointment of a person like Justice Mishra will be the trust and confidence of people, especially victims of rights violations in the independence of the NHRC.
As many as 71 individuals, including members of rights organisations and academics, alleged Mishra was appointed as he was ‘close to the ruling dispensation’.
‘Move that smacks of brazen arrogance’
A group of human rights activists on Wednesday raised concerns over the appointment of former Supreme Court judge, Justice Arun Kumar Mishra, as the chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The Centre’s decision “smacks of brazen arrogance and indifference to public opinion and once again highlights the cynical disdain of the government for democratic norms and constitutional proprieties”.
The activists pointed out that the selection of Justice Mishra by a committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was despite the objection of another committee member, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge. The Congress leader had suggested appointing someone from Dalit, Adivasi or minority communities, “considering that the bulk of victims of state abuse comes from these communities”.