When Human Rights Is Used As a Shield

By: Parmanand Pandey

I read a front paged lead story in the daily 'Mail Today' of today. The news story is based on a petition of an Advocate to the President of India. It has high lighted the nexus between some advocates and the judges of the Supreme Court. It also tells about the modus operandi of some manipulative advocates, who sow the seeds of corruption to reap the fruits later for their enrichment. The story is bound to shock the conscience of any conscientious person.

It is an open secret although much talked about in the circles of legal practitioners that some advocates believe more in manoeuvring than in the lawyering. They often give the impression that justice is manageable and this is how they have accumulated fortunes. These unscrupulous advocates and the judges do not realise the damage they cause to the very institution of judiciary.

In the instant story a senior advocate PH Parekh has floated an organisation for the protection of Human Rights of which he is the Secretary General from its inception twenty years ago. Its Presidents keep on changing but the post is exclusively reserved for the sitting judges of the Supreme Court. Currently two senior most judges are associated with this organisation in different capacities.

There can be no bar for the judges to be associated with such organisations, which have lofty aims and objects. But the judges should not be naïve to get associated with such associations and persons whose credibility has never been impeccable and above board. One would be within his/her rights to know as to how many Human Rights issues have been raised by this organisation and PH Parekh on any fora. Has this organisation ever taken up the cause of any body whose human rights have been openly violated? Has any struggle been ever launched by this organisation at any point of time for the cause of human rights? Certainly never.

Except organising some lectures to be delivered by important judges in some air conditioned halls from time to time, I don't think this person or his organisation has done anything else. Most interestingly when thousands of persons live in abject poverty and innumerable people are suffering because of host of reasons and their human rights is shredded day in and day out but this organisation either remains mum or takes its members on foreign jaunts.

PH Parekh has never been known for the legal lucidity, commitment to the cause of law or for siding with those who are denied with justice. He has always taken up the cases of rich and opulent persons and establishments. Making money is the yardstick of the success for him. Law is not an instrument to mitigate the sufferings of the depressed and denied but it is a means for personal enrichment. It is highly deplorable that Human Rights is used a cover for manipulation and for developing proximity with judges. It is a mockery and insult to the Human Rights.

Judges must, therefore, immediately dissociate themselves to save the sanctity and prestige of the judicial system of the country.