NCPCR writes to Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary demanding action against unregistered children's home running in Dewas

Jan 02, 2024

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], January 2 : Chairperson of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Priyank Kanoongo on Monday wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh demanding an action against unregistered children's homes running in Dewas district.
According to the letter, the NCPCR inspected a children's home located in Ghusat, Dewas on December 23, 2023. During the inspection, interactions were held with the officials of the children's home and the children present there. The children's home was not registered with the Women and Child Development or other Department of Madhya Pradesh.
There were 55 boys and 13 girls present in the children's home and all of them were living without the orders of the Child Welfare Committee. Almost all the children living in the children's home belong to the Hindu religion, but all the children were made to pray only for the Christian religion by the officials of the institution, it added.
During the interaction, it was also revealed that all the minor children of the children's home were made to cut the grass on the premises, were made to clean, mop and clean the toilets in the children's home, the letter read.
The letter further states that all the above mentioned facts were came to notice of the commission on which it demanded action and requested various information along with necessary documents should be sent to the Commission within 10 days.
The commission demanded that if the children's home is unregistered, ensure action to be taken against the institution running the children's home under Section 41 and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and share the information with the Commission.
The Commission further requested information about the age and native district of all the minor children living in the children's home. After rescuing all the children living in the children's home, present them before the Child Welfare Committee and hand over the children to their parents and send its report to the Commission. Information about (FCRA Foreign Contribution Regulation Act)) registration of the organisation running the children's home."
The commission also demanded an action against the organisation running the children's home and its officials under the MP Religious Freedom Act, 2021 for making the children of Hindu religion living in the children's home to offer Christian religious prayers.
Besides, the Commission sought information about all unregistered children's homes situated in the state and by ensuring legal action against them.