Supreme Court slams child rights body NCPCR: 'Don't drag us in your agenda'

The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) over its petition seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into cases of children allegedly sold by shelter homes in Jharkhand of the Missionaries of Charity founded by Mother Teresa.

According to a PTI report, a top court bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh said,"Dont' drag the Supreme Court into your agenda. What kind of relief is sought in your petition? How can we pass such directions? The petition is totally misconstrued."

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The NCPCR's counsel had submitted that the plea sought the top courts' direction for a time-bound investigation into all the organisations in Jharkhand to ensure protection of the children.

The apex court said that the child rights body was empowered to conduct enquiry and take action according to the law under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.

What NCPCR alleged?

In its plea filed in 2020, the NCPCR sought enforcement of fundamental rights of prohibition of human trafficking, guaranteed under Article 23 of the Constitution.

The child rights body alleged discrepancies in children's homes in various states and added them as parties in its plea.

The plea had cited cases of child rights violation in Jharkhand and accused the authorities in the state of a “callous approach to protect minors”.

"During course of inquiry by petitioner (NCPCR), shocking revelations were made by the victims which included the factum that the children were being sold in the children homes. These facts were emphatically brought to the notice of the state government (Jharkhand) but continuous attempts were made to sabotage and derail the inquiry," the plea said.

NCPCR criticises madrasa education system

On September 12, the child rights body slammed the madrasa education system in its submissions before the Supreme Court. The NCPCR alleged that the madrasas violate children’s fundamental rights to education and are operating in breach of the constitutional mandates and the Right to Education (RTE) Act.