Hyderabad: Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) justice J S Verma on January 11 said terrorism was a more serious violation of human rights but in the garb of combating terrorism, human rights could not be violated.

Inaugurating a seminar on 'Human Rights – 21st Century Challenges' in Hyderabad, Verma said, "In the context of frenzy of war against terrorism, talking about human rights cannot be called anti-national."

Explaining the relationship between human rights and governance, the NHRC chairman underlined the need for transcending governance into "good and humane governance".

Listing out present day challenges to human rights, justice Verma pointed out that despite no deficiency of food, there were still starvation deaths because of misgovernance.

Referring to widespread corruption, Verma said nearly Rs 27,000 crore was utilised to pay bribes and its adverse effect was deprivation of rights of people and thus people needed a human right to corruption-free government.

The one-day seminar was organised jointly by National Academy of Legal Studies and Research University (NALSAR) and department of human rights of University of Hyderabad at its Shamirpet campus in Ranga Reddy district.

PTI