Human rights is central to the maintenance of communal harmony. The relations between various communities and religious groups have been tampered. In the past decade, we have witnessed many riots as a result of religious prejudices and political interests. The communal violence is not only a case of human rights violation but also propagate hatred among the common public. The victims of these confrontations can only claim justice through campaigns advocating human rights. This issue will be discussed at large, with reference to instances from the recent past, in the lecture.
Teesta Setalvad is a civil rights activist and journalist.She is the secretary of Citizens for Justice and Peace (CJP) an organization formed for fighting for justice for the victims of communal violence. She was awarded Padma Shri in 2007 for her contribution towards "Public Affairs in Maharashtra". One of the vocal advocates for communal harmony, she is also the publisher of the magazine, "Communalism Combat". This lecture was jointly organised by "IIT For Society" and Extra Mural Lectures, IIT Madras.