New Delhi: From less than 500 a decade ago to over 70,000 this year, there has been a dramatic rise in the number of petitions filed before the NHRC (National Human Rights Commission), pointing to increased awareness of Human Rights issues in the country.

As India joins rest of the world to mark International Human Rights Day tomorrow (Dec 10, 2004), statistics from the NHRC showing a seven-fold increase in the number of petitions speaks volumes not only about people's knowledge of basic Rights but also their courage to protest oppression, Rights activists say.

While the number of petitions filed was a mere 498 in 1993-94, it went up to 2,782 the next year and 9,823 in 1995-96.

While 19,641 petitions were filed in 1996-97, these grew steadily over the following years reaching 71,556 by 2000-01. The number has remained roughly the same since.

A large chunk of the petitions have come from Punjab, followed by Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

Of the complaints received by the NHRC, most relate to alleged police excesses, atrocities on Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, bonded and child labour, child marriage, communal violence, dowry death, abduction, rape and sexual harassment.

"The sharp rise in petitions before NHRC shows that the people are becoming more aware about Human Rights and their violation and are responding to them," says a spokesman of Amnesty International (India).