New Delhi, December 1
Labelling adversaries as terrorists has become a notorious technique to outdo political opponents, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson A.S. Anand observed today.
He, however, dismissed as "spurious" slogans that justify terrorism as "fight for freedom" and "struggle for liberation" as spurious.
In an address read out in his absence in the 26th Bhimsen Sachar Memorial Lecture, organised by the Servants of People Society, the Lok Sevak Sangh, the Transparency International India and the Shri Bhimsen Sachar Memorial Committee in the Capital today, Dr Anand said it must be remembered that anti-terrorism measures ought to protect human rights and democracy.
“Our experience shows that the rubric of counter-terrorism can be misused to justify acts in support of political agendas such as consolidation of political power, elimination of political opponents and inhibition of legitimate dissent, ” he said, adding that labelling adversaries as terrorists was a notorious technique to de-legitimise political opponents.
