The State Human Rights Commission has directed the director general of police to respond to a plea which calls for exempting school buses and ambulances from traffic restrictions during movement of government forces’ convoys.
After the 14 February militant attack on a CRPF convoy thatkilled 40 soldiers, the government had announced that civilian vehicles wouldhave to stop when forces’ convoy pass by.
A couple of days ago, private schools association said therestrictions have disrupted class schedule because school buses too are stoppedfor convoys.
The SHRC doesn’t have jurisdiction over central governmentagencies, including security forces and other departments.
“This is why we have asked (only) the DGP to submit hisreport in the matter,” said an official of the SHRC.
SHRC direction came after rights activist Ahsan Untoo filedthe petition seeking the exemption.
“Movement of vehicles including school buses and ambulancesis halted and the general public faces tremendous hardships particularly theschool-going children, employees and patients,” reads the petition, whilepleading for exempting school buses and ambulances from the “ambit ofrestrictions”.
“Right to education is one of the fundamental rights givenby the constitution and same cannot be curtailed or snatched by anygovernment,” the petition said.
The petition states restriction on the movement of schoolbuses amounts to denying schoolchildren their right to education as they haveto wait for hours together on the roads during convoy movement.
“For the past 30 years the education system has been badlyaffected due to frequent strikes, curfews and crackdowns. Students get onlylimited time for schooling,” reads the petition.