New Delhi, Mar 19 (PTI) The apex child rights body NCPCR submitted a special report on West Bengal to President Droupadi Murmu in which the child rights body underscored the alleged neglect by the state administration in upholding the best interests of children and ensuring adherence to legal mandates outlined in various child-related acts.
The Special Report on Child Protection in West Bengal was initially tabled in the Rajya Sabha on December 21 last year and later in the Lok Sabha on February 2 before being formally handed over to President Murmu during a courtesy meeting on Tuesday.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), mandated to safeguard the rights of children and monitor the implementation of crucial acts such as POCSO Act, 2012, Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, and Right to Education Act, 2009, observed significant discrepancies in the state’s approach towards child welfare.
The report underscored the stark neglect by the West Bengal State Administration in upholding the best interests of children and ensuring adherence to legal mandates outlined in various child-related acts.
Instances of non-cooperation and blatant disregard for established laws were brought to light, raising concerns over the state’s commitment to safeguarding children’s rights.
The Commission noted with grave concern the involvement of children as victims in bomb blast incidents across the state, highlighting a staggering figure of approximately 40 children affected.
The report highlighted the inadequacies in the state’s response, emphasizing the need for improved cooperation with the central agencies to address such heinous crimes effectively.
The report also gave instances of children being targeted and subjected to torture, inhuman treatment, and violence following the conclusion of polls in 2021. A total of 23 cases of post-poll violence were documented, the commission claimed in the report.
The report gave findings regarding child trafficking in West Bengal, with rescued girls often trafficked from the state to other regions.
Furthermore, the report claimed that insensitive remarks by state officials, including the chief minister, regarding victims of sexual abuse were flagged, indicating a blatant violation of the POCSO Act, 2012.
The report also criticized the state’s lax approach towards border protection, highlighting inadequate cooperation with the central agencies/institutions to safeguard children from potential dangers associated with border regions.
West Bengal’s parallel system for dealing with destitute children, termed as ‘Cottage Homes’, was condemned for violating provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.
Additionally, the commission said the state’s failure to implement Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, 2009, was noted, depriving the underprivileged children of their fundamental right to education.
The report also highlighted instances of non-cooperation by the state authorities with central agencies/institutions and misconduct against the NCPCR officials, further exacerbating the challenges in addressing child protection concerns in West Bengal. PTI UZM AS AS
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