The home minister said even small countries that have homogeneous population, speak one language, practice one faith and belong to one race, raise issues concerned to human rights.
With the country witnessing unrest in many tribal-dominated regions, home minister P Chidambaram today said indigenous people have the right to acquire all modern amenities and become part of the mainstream.
"Indigenous people have the righ not only to preserve their indigenous culture but acquire all modern amenities and become part of the mainstream," he said addressing a function on the occasion of Human Rights Day here.
Chidambaram wondered whether the rights of the indigenous people could be protected only by setting up anthropological museums.
Asking the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which organised the function, to explore new rights, the home minister said "We accept the rights of children but we have not fully explored the special rights of the girl child".
He said thousands of young girls are married off in the country even before they can speak of their rights.
Chidambaram said the society has started accepting the sexual rights of individuals — lesbians, gays, transsexual. "They have rights too".
The home minister said even small countries that have homogeneous population, speak one language, practice one faith and belong to one race, raise issues concerned to human rights.
"So, how a country as large and complex like India not face challenges of human rights every day," he said. Chidambaram said "virtually" every debate in the country shows "undercurrent" violation of someone's rights or perceived violation of rights.
"What amazes me is the way that we have discovered (several) new rights," he said adding "recently, we have recognised right to privacy. Who ever had thought that privacy is a right."
Supreme Court and civil society organisation have "vastly" expanded the scope of human rights through debates, persuasion and arguments, he noted.
"We still have not fully explored right to heritage... right to history....I am entitled to know, my child is entitled to know, what is the history of the country," he said.
Asking the NHRC to press its research team to explore new rights, Chidambaram said it is important to recognise all the rights.
Referring to the UN general secretary's message on the Human Rights Day, Chidambaram said he "correctly points out that we are witnessing the rise of new politics of xenophobia. If vast majority remains silent against injustice, a small group will indeed be the driving force behind the new politics of xenophobia."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}