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Nitin Gogoi in Guwahati
The National Human Rights Commission Tuesday passed strictures against Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, blasting him for trying to belittle it without understanding its role and functions.
The NHRC condemned the chief minister for questioning its working. `The issue related to shielding of minister Rajendra Mushahary, accused of raping a minor. `The full commission met Monday to consider Mahanta's recent statements that it had crossed its limits by attempting to pass on opinion on a sub-judice matter.
The NHRC was constrained to observe that ''if media reports were correct, the chief minister completely missed the point made by the commission and he had made an observation which depicted lack of appreciation of the NHRC's role and function,'' it remarked.
The NHRC, iterating its ruling on the issue, said the chief minister's action in allowing the accused to continue as a minister was ''erosion of the rule of law and serious violation of human rights''.
The NHRC, referring to the chief minister's comment that it was a sub judice matter, opined that Mahanta had overlooked the point that the court was concerned with the trial of the offence and hence there was no violation of law in questioning the propriety of continuance of a prime accused as a minister, as it was not under consideration of any court of law.
The NHRC has forwarded the copy of the proceedings to the state governor and state chief secretary.
The NHRC's hard-hitting comments may spell trouble for him, as it may become an election issue.
The chief minister, in total disregard to the controversy surrounding the issue even renominated the minister, within days of the NHRC's rulings. The chief minister has been insisting that the state government wait for DNA reports before taking action. The NHRC's contention is that the minister was found prime facie guilty and has been named an accused by the police investigating the case.
The Minister was accused of raping the school-going girl and impregnating her.
The NHRC took up the case in response to a complaint lodged by the victim's mother.
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