Silchar, Dec. 10: Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC) chairperson Justice Aftab Hussain Saikia today said the commission had very limited power and it was nothing but a "toothless tiger".

Speaking at an awareness programme, organised by Cachar district administration and AHRC here at the district library auditorium on the occasion of International Human Rights Day, Saikia said he was heading a body that could hardly give recommendations and suggestions. "Today people have neither respect nor fear for the law, which is the main reason for the growing incidents of human rights violation," he said.

Saikia, who served as the Chief Justice of the high courts of Sikkim and Jammu and Kashmir, expressed his disappointment over the lack of proper infrastructure in the office of the commission.

"You can't imagine the condition in which we, the members of the commission, work. We were just given a hall, not proper chambers. We later divided that hall into different parts for smooth functioning of the commission. We have been waiting for long that one day the state government will allocate a proper building for the office of the commission," he added.

Justice Saikia said people had no respect for the Constitution. "There are some reasonable restrictions to the freedom of speech and expression, but sometimes it seems that nobody cares about it. The effigies of the President, governors and judges are burnt openly. But, hardly any action is taken against them. Then the question comes, where is the law?"?

Saikia said laws were being used by criminals too. Citing the Barnali Deb rape and murder case in Guwahati in July 2002, he said though Gauhati High Court awarded death sentence to the two accused, the Supreme Court later commuted the capital punishment to life terms, citing the fact that the convicts were repentant.

"There is a need to change the law. But then the question arises: who will change it? The situation is such that if someone kills a man, he goes to the gallows but if one kills 1,000 people, there is glamour. It's really very unfortunate. But we have nothing to do, unless people change their mindsets," he added.

Amitabh Singh, assistant professor of the department of law of Assam University, who was the guest of honour, underscored the need for introduction of legal education at the school level. He highlighted the violation of human rights in every sphere of life.

Singh also laid stress on implementation of human rights laws on the ground by the law-enforcing agencies.

Tarun Phookan, a member of the commission, outlined the functions and powers of the AHRC. Cachar deputy commissioner S. Viswanathan threw light on the history and importance of International Human Rights Day.