Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Human Rights Commission Chairman, Justice (retd) Bilal Nazki on Saturday said institutions of the state have lost credibility because of “not functioning” for past 30 years, but asked people to repose faith in the commission for protection of human rights.
“I don’t blame people and I don’t blame human rights activists or civil society because they don’t come to me. That is because I don’t have credibility. They don’t trust me and that is not their fault, that is my fault,” Justice (retd) Nazki, who recently assumed the charge of Commission, said at a function here.
“If you keep a Human Rights Commission without chairman for last five years, who is going to trust that Commission?,” he said.
Nazki, who has also headed the Human Rights Commission in Bihar, said he does not blame people for not trusting the commission to address complaints of human rights violations, as every institution has suffered in the state for the last 30 years and none of them have any credibility left.
“I don’t blame anyone for this because no institution has worked for 30 years. I was told High Court orders are not implemented by the Government. Therefore, people are justified in not believing us,” he said.
He, however, appealed to people to give him a chance.
“Please give me a chance, believe for six months and if I fail, I will say I couldn’t fight, and bid goodbye.”
Justice (retd) Nazki said he does not believe that the commission was the “toothless tiger” that people accuse it of being.
“When I accepted the assignment I knew exactly what my power is…I don’t think this is a toothless tiger. We have sufficient powers in the Act provided the press and power are with us,” he said.
He sought co-operation from the press, common people, civil society and government officers to ensure proper functioning of the body.
Expressing displeasure over the working of the SHRC in the past, he said he has not seen a single order of the commission where an officer was indicted.
“There is a power of indicting officers. Nobody has used that power ever,” he said, adding that the commission should be allowed to grow so that it delivers.