Thaindian News

Kolkata, May 24 (IANS) Human rights activist Binayak Sen, who has been nominated to the Planning Commission’s steering committee on health, Tuesday said he felt duty bound and eager to contribute and engage in the process and take it as far as possible.

Speaking at a felicitation programme organised by several civil right organisations in West Bengal, Sen denied, in response to question from the audience, that his nomination on the committee was the government’s way of selling him off to corporate interests.

“I don’t think so. All human rights are predicated to the existence of a state. If there were no state, who would we demand human rights from? When the state has taken an initiative to which we can contribute in any way, then it is our duty to engage with the process and take it as far as possible. When it will no longer be possible to do so, I shall step aside.”

Sen also said that while he had worked with several NGOs, he had also worked with the government in the past.

Sen’s wife Elina Sen, and mother Anasuya Sen were also present at the function where he was honoured with flowers and warm tributes.

He said the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) had recently launched a nationwide campaign against the “black laws” in the country, including laws on sedition, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He said the PUCL aimed to collect ten lakh signatures and raise the issue in the winter session of parliament.

A trial court in Chhattisgarh had convicted Sen for sedition in December 2010 for his links with Maoists, and awarded him life imprisonment. Sen had moved against the conviction in the Chhattisgarh High Court based in Bilaspur and also sought bail, but the court rejected him bail in February. The Supreme Court last month overturned the high court ruling and granted him bail.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh last week dashed off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, raising serious objections to the inclusion of Sen in the panel as he is convicted for sedition. He threatened to boycott Planning Commission meetings if Sen was not dropped.