Int. J. Human Rights and Constitutional Studies, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2023 163 Copyright © 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. Protection of human rights of oustees in India: a review Rajesh Kumar Karna Dr. S.R.K. Government Arts College, Yanam, Pondicherry, 533-464, India Affiliated to: Pondicherry University, India Email: rajeshkarna68@gmail.com Abstract: In this age of human rights, the rights of development-induced displaced persons deserve proper attention hitherto consciously ignored by both state and international regimes. Unlike other internally displaced sections, the rights of oustees have been violated by its own state in the name of public purpose. Unfortunately, they never attract international attention despite constituting a major portion of internally displaced persons. Paradoxically, the state that bears the responsibility as protector of human rights has become its sole violator and does not even care to rehabilitate. Using published literature on various cases of development-induced displacement, this paper examines how different human rights of oustees protected under various international covenants are being violated and constantly side-lined, particularly in India. It concludes that oustees who suffer in the name of nation-building are often called ‘beneficiaries’ of the very project that destroyed their livelihood while the state responds opportunistically by breaching national and international human rights regimes. Keywords: human rights; development; displacement; state; oustees; internally displaced persons; IDPs; rehabilitation; India. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Karna, R.K. (2023) ‘Protection of human rights of oustees in India: a review’, Int. J. Human Rights and Constitutional Studies, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp.163–175. Biographical notes: Rajesh Kumar Karna is currently teaching political science in the Dr. S.R.K. Government Arts College (affiliated to Pondicherry Central University), Yanam, Puducherry, India. He is also pursuing his PhD research on ‘Politics of land acquisition and dispossession’ in the Department of Political Science, University of Hyderabad. His research areas cover politics of land acquisition, involuntary displacement including migration, human rights, public policy and statehood movements in India. 1 Introduction Displacement, mainly forced, always raise serious human rights concern. Indeed, the cause and nature of displacement and extent of human rights violation vary, depending upon the context. Data indicates that persons displaced by violence, natural calamities, human-made disasters like ethnic cleansing, development projects supersede the displacements of great wars. As per United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for