Human Rights has to be universal in its concept and in its perception, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Governor E S L Narasimhan said today.
Addressing the 78th session of Institut de Droit International (IDI), Institute of International Law, at the NALSAR University of Law here this evening, the Governor said human rights is not something which can be defined by a nation, by a people or by a society.
"What today is called for is real definition of human rights. I think human rights has to be universal in its concept and in its perception.
"It is not that when a same action is committed in some country it becomes a violation of human rights and the same thing is practiced in some other country it is not violation of human rights," he said.
"This discrimination in the concept or perception of human rights or its being dictated by 'A' country or 'B' country can no longer be accepted," Narasimhan said.
He said human rights has to be universal and it has to be defined on what is violation of human rights. "And particularly, in times when the scourge of migration going on in several parts of the world due to disturbances I think we need to protect human rights of individuals in a very big way."
He further said India has always been in the forefront in demonstrating its commitment towards international obligations. India has contributed and participated in formulating numerous international conventions including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for protection of human rights of everyone in the world, he said.
On terrorism, the Governor said "what constitutes terrorism also needs an international definition. In some places terrorism is looked up as a civil strife and sometimes it is looked up something as a national cause and it has various definitions. When the LTTE fought their battle it was defined as a fight for their own identity."
"Terrorism which I think is the scourge of the whole world today requires a re-definition and you legal luminaries I think you need to redefine terrorism. We need to take a holistic and international understanding on what constitutes terrorism," the Governor said.
Narasimhan said apart from human rights and terrorism there are several other issues in which he felt there are differences of perceptions.
The Governor further said justice is perceived, or as shown depicted as holding scales with a blindfolded person adding "I think it is time that this blindfold has to be removed...I think now justice will have to be dispensed with open eyes and no longer in a blindfolded fashion while the scales may be the same."
"Justice means holding scales together but I think the blindfold will have to be removed I think we need to keep our eyes open. Now that it has become global village and we have the same problems today it might happen in India, tomorrow it might happen in the West and might also in the East," he said.
"It is not that anybody is insulated from these scourges of violation of human rights or terrorism. I think it is time that we sit together and formulate common perceptions and a common understanding and see how we can get justice for all," Narasimhan added.
Nearly 60 leading international law scholars and practitioners of international law from across the world are attending the event.
Acting Chief Justice of Hyderabad High Court Justice Ramesh Ranganathan, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali, Minister for Law, A Indrakaran Reddy, NALSAR Vice-Chancellor Faizan Mustafa were among the dignitaries present.
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