NHRC should roar like a tiger: Dattu

National Human Rights Commission Chairperson Justice H L Dattu on Friday pitched for vesting NHRC with “more power”, saying the rights watchdog should “roar like a tiger”.

“Everyone wants to have more power. We (NHRC) also want to have more power,” he told reporters.

The former Chief Justice of India was addressing a press conference here to mark the Foundation Day of the NHRC.

According to a recent media report, Dattu had termed NHRC a “toothless tiger” that needed some teeth to enforce its orders on remedial measures in cases relating to any violations.

“In many cases, due to our active intervention, we have addressed human rights issues. We are celebrating our foundation day today... And, with more power, it (NHRC) should roar like a tiger,” he said on the sidelines of a press conference.

Since its inception in 1993, the NHRC has come a long way by addressing several issues of human rights violations as well as giving inputs on key legislations impacting human rights, he said. “Whenever an issue of human rights violation comes to the notice of the NHRC, it has to take cognisance without bothering for the permutations and combinations of electoral politics or caste and creed equations,” Dattu said.