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India cannot brush aside global concerns: Sorabjee

JAIPUR MAY 13. The Attorney-General, Soli Sorabjee, today said that India cannot brush aside the concern voiced by some foreign countries on the Gujarat situation.

Speaking at a national seminar on ``Human rights in governance'', Mr. Sorabjee said that old dogmas of state sovereignty had changed and the international community could now express ``legitimate concern''. It was just not enough for the Government to criticise superficially or express resentment over the critical reports of foreign countries.

``If their reports were incorrect, false or exaggerated, our response should be with facts or figures,'' he said, adding that mere criticism of such reports only gave ``propaganda ammunition'' to countries hostile to India.

Mr. Sorabjee said that old dogmas, which gave a sovereign country the right to treat its citizens as it liked, had been changed and the international community could now express "legitimate concern' over official or demonstrative state-sponsored violation of human rights. The inaction or wilful inaction of a state to check violation of human rights was now being considered by the international fraternity as equal to violation of human rights by the state itself. This principle of state accountability is gaining ground and international obligation should also become legislative obligation in all the countries.

Mr. Sorabjee made an impassioned plea to people to come forward to establish the rule of law in Gujarat saying ``silence was not the opinion'' at the present juncture. Efforts should also be made to bridge the divide between majority and minority communities and to address the sense of helplessness among the people in Gujarat. The perpetrators of crimes against humanity must be punished however influential one might be, he said. — PTI

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