Mumbai, Aug 2 (PTI) Each village in Maharashtra will have a committee to promote awareness about human rights and prevent their violations if a proposal mooted by a prominent social activist and supported by the head of the apex body of sarpanches gets the backing of gram sabhas.
The proposal to establish a village-level Gramin Manav Adhikar Sanrakshan Samiti (Village Human Rights Protection Committee), envisaging a prominent role for local women and female cops, has been mooted by activist Pramod Zinjade, who heads an outfit focused on community development and social justice.
Talking to PTI, Zinjade, president of the Mahatma Phule Samaj Seva Mandal, said that the committee will operate within the jurisdiction of a village and its outskirts, and will include the village sarpanch or a local woman as chairperson, gram sevak or police patil as secretary, along with a female police representative.
Police patils, appointed by the state government, act as a crucial link between police and people at the village level. They assist in police investigations and reporting of incidents within their designated village.
The activist noted that the panel members will primarily consist of educated individuals from marginalised communities, including Dalits, nomadic tribes, and minorities, who are often victims of discrimination or injustice.
He said that 50 per cent of the committee members will comprise women, with preference given to widows, single women or those deserted and neglected by society.
Retired government officials with a clean record and anti-corruption stance will also be inducted as members, Zinjade maintained.
The committee’s primary function will be to conduct awareness campaigns, educational drives, and community outreach to ensure residents are informed about human rights laws and protections.
Its activities will include school and college-based competitions, street plays, workshops, and expert-led discussions, he explained.
In the event of a human rights violation, the committee will help the victim lodge a complaint and escalate matters to the concerned authorities if the local police fail to act.
Written complaints will be discussed within the committee, and appropriate referrals will be made to the State or National Human Rights Commissions, women’s commission, or the Child Protection Commission, as applicable, said Zinjade, who has been at the forefront of the initiative to eradicate evil practices related to widows and usher in social reforms.
He said that while the committee will not have judicial powers, it will act as a guiding and support mechanism for victims. A regular monthly meeting will be held, with emergency discussions convened as required to review complaints and assist affected individuals.
Datta Kakade, president of the Sarpanch Parishad, said an appeal has been made to 27,905 sarpanches across the state to get respective gram sabhas (village-level assemblies) to pass resolutions for setting up such committees before August 15.
Gram sabhas are grassroots-level democratic institutions in each village panchayat. They ensure the effective functioning of panchayats by promoting transparency and accountability in administration, enhancing people’s participation in the planning and implementation of schemes. PTI MR RSY ARU
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