New Delhi: Based on “viral videos” of children participating in protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act at Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has written to the area district magistrate to arrange for counselling sessions as they maybe under “mental trauma” due to “influence of miscommunication”.
As per a Times of India report, NCPCR’s letter to the District Magistrate (DM) of south east Delhi had said that the commission was taking cognisance of “a complaint”.
The complaint, as quoted by the report, said: “Children are shouting that their elders have told them that the Prime Minister and home minister will ask them to produce documents of citizenship and if they fail to produce, they will be sent to detention centres where they will not be allowed even food and clothing”.
The letter from the Commission states that that the “children might (have been) brought under influence of rumours/miscommunication and as a result of which, they may suffer from mental trauma”.
The protests in Shaheen Bagh have become iconic for critics of the Citizenship Amendment Act and the impending National Register of Citizens process. The sit-down protests which have now been going on for over a month occupy the Kalindi Kunj-Shaheen Bagh stretch of the road.
Also read: An Open Letter to Parents Bringing up Children in the Time of the CAA-NRC Protests
Delhi Police has urged protesters to end the agitation as parents of schoolchildren have allegedly expressed “deep anxiety” over the upcoming board examinations.
BJP information technology head Amit Malviya had earlier claimed that the women were being paid Rs 500 per day. Two women have sent a defamation notice to Malviya demanding an apology and Rs 1 crore in damages.
The CAA provides fast-track Indian citizenship for members of six non-muslim religions from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh, if they have been residents of India before 2015. The passage of CAA, coupled with proposal of nation-wide launch of National Register of Citizens, has raised anxiety that it could lead to disempowerment of certain minorities and economically backward communities. In the north-east, the protests have a different flavour, as critics have called for total repeal of CAA as they don’t want any refugees to be settled in the region.
The NCPCR instructed the DM that in view of the “seriousness of the issue and its impact on children,” a district child protection officer along with a police child welfare officer should identify these allegedly affected children and arrange counselling sessions for them and also for their parents.
Also watch: When Shaheen Bagh Showed Solidarity With Kashmiri Pandits
“If required, children may be produced before the Child Welfare Committee also,” said the letter
The commission has asked for a report in 10 days.
Last month, NCPCR issued an advisory to all directors general of police in states and Union Territories to take strict action against those found using children in unlawful activities like stone pelting and other violent acts during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
The Commission is a statutory body, established by an act of parliament. The current chairman of NCPCR is Priyank Kanoongo, who had been member of the commission since 2015.