Remove laws which violate rights of leprosy-affected persons: NHRC

NEW DELHI: The National Human Rights Commission wants provisions in law which violate rights of leprosy-affected persons, removed. Speaking at a day-long national workshop on leprosy organized by the commission, Justice K G Balakrishnan said that there were discriminatory provisions in the law which violate rights of leprosy-affected persons.
“Under Section 13 (v) of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 if one party has been suffering from a virulent and incurable form of leprosy, it becomes one of the grounds for divorce.Under Section 18 (2) (c) of the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956, if a person is suffering from a virulent form of leprosy, his wife is entitled to live separately from her husband without forfeiting her claim to maintenance. There are similar provisions in other personal laws which need amendment to prevent discrimination,” he said.
The NHRC chief also appealed to corporates to come forward and adopt colonies of persons affected with leprosy as part of their philanthropy measures. He said that there was no dearth of money for philanthropy but it needs to be properly channelized.
He said that it needs to be studied as to why in some states, the incidents of leprosy were more than the others. There are 33 states and Union Territories which have almost attained the level of less than one case of leprosy per 10,000 population, but it is a cause of concern that new cases of leprosy continue to occur despite various preventive measures. “The issues of bringing the leprosy-affected persons in the mainstream of society with their proper rehabilitation and financial assistance with uniform approach across the country remained a challenge,” he added.
“The commission is deeply concerned about the human rights of the people affected with leprosy as they face stigma and discrimination in society despite the fact that leprosy is curable. All efforts have to be made by various stakeholders to spread awareness about the scientific facts related to the disease and break the myths attached with it,” he said.
Union health secretary B P Sharma said on the occasion that the issue of rehabilitation of the leprosy-affected persons is a stupendous task and cannot be handled by one ministry. “However, the Centre is committed to achieving the elimination target by 2017, as set out in the 12thFive Year Plan, with the cooperation of states. All states need to appoint District Leprosy Officers along with District Leprosy Consultants and also need to fill up the vacant posts of paramedical workers meant for the care of leprosy-affected patients,” Sharma said.