Recently, a provocative speech made by constable Khusboo Chauhan of the Central Reserve Police Force at an event organised by the National Human Rights Commission went viral on social media. The speech was made at the All India inter-paramilitary forces’ debate competition on September 27 and called for “Kanhaiya’s chest to be pierced with the national flag”.
The speech was presented by news anchors belonging to popular media organisations as “warning India haters”.
While Chauhan spoke against the motion “Terrorism and militancy in the country can be tackled effectively while observing human rights” and won the consolation prize, what did not get news television or even social media play were the speeches made for the motion, upholding the idea that human rights can indeed be protected during anti-terrorism operations.
Among these speeches, the one made by by Central Industrial Security Force assistant commandant Mayank Bhati (top) won the second prize, while the one by sub-inspector Ashutosh Rana (below) won the third prize. “Observance of human rights will create a police-public partnership model of security,” said Bhati, arguing that this would be more effective.
As Rana observed, “What is the point of national security in a scenario where there are no human rights?” He referred to, among other, the Unnao rape case, farmer suicides, and the Bihar shelter home rape cases.
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