High Court summons Delhi Police chief on NGO’s complaint
New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Acting on an NGO’s plea that its members were beaten up while rescuing child workers and that Delhi Police officers remained mute spectators, the Delhi High Court Friday summoned the Police Commissioner and other officials who were part of a task force constituted by the court to rescue child labourers.
A division bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Sanjiv Khanna directed the Commissioner of Police, Additional Commissioner of Police, Secretary Department of Labour, Secretary Social Welfare, Divisional Commissioner of Delhi government and DCP of East Delhi to remain present before it personally on March 21.
The court’s direction came on an urgent plea filed by Bachpan Bachao Andolan whose members were allegedly beaten up by some unidentified people Thursday afternoon when they were rescuing 22 children working for Rs.10 a day at a zari unit in east Delhi’s Jheel Khureji area of Geeta Colony.
‘We can’t ignore the rights of children. Let these authorities explain before us as to how this situation can be redeemed and also the future course of action they are planning to avoid this untoward situation,’ the bench observed.
Senior advocate H.S. Phoolka, appearing on behalf of the NGO, said: ‘Act of police in not helping us while the rescue operation was on, it is disgusting. We are conducting the rescue operations because of the court’s directive of 2009 to stop child labour.’
Countering this, standing counsel of Delhi Police Pawan Sharma said the local police were not informed about the rescue operation.
‘Anti-social elements can’t take law into their hands. Such kind of behaviour by these people is not tolerable in a civilised society. From this incident, it is clear that authorities have failed to comply with their own devised guidelines in 2009 for rescuing child labour, it is very shameful,’ the bench remarked.
‘The unconcerned authorities and their indifferent attitude and apathy shows their repulsive attitude towards the children, who are not supposed to work at factories but are compelled to do so,’ said the bench.
According to the NGO, as soon as their members arrived at the spot with some police officers, some people attacked them, injuring four members.
‘This incident poses a picture that authorities who are to maintain law and order situation are not performing their duty,’ the bench said, adding that the interests of the child should be protected.