NHRC notice to the Government of Rajasthan over reported allegation of many families in Banswara district using their children as pawn to get money for food (14.06.2019)

New Delhi, 14th June, 2019

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that there are several villages in Banswara district of the State of Rajasthan wherein more than 500 families were found to have used their children as pawn in exchange of Rs. 1500 to 2000 from the Gadaria (Shepherd) community to get food. The media report has also carried the photographs of the children, aged 8 to 12 years, who had been pledged for money.

According to the media report, carried on the 13th June, 2019, the shepherds put them to the work of cattle grazing. Chundai, Bor Talab and Memkhor areas in the district of Banswara and Bawdi Kheda, Limbodi and Ambaghati areas falling under Pratapgarh district are the worst affected.It is also mentioned in the news report that Government runs schemes like MGNREGA and Bhamashah have never been implemented in these areas.

The Commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan calling for a detailed report in the matter within, six weeks. It has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise serious issue of violation of human rights of the innocent young children who instead of getting proper education and upbringing, have been given in custody of unknown people in lieu of money.

The Commission has asked the State Government to inform about the status of implementation of flagship programmes announced and being run by the Central and state governments in Rajasthan. The authorities are expected to identify all the victim children and to take steps to you reunite them with their families and ensure all basic amenities including food and education to the children of the aggrieved families. The State government is also expected to conduct a survey to check, if such practice is prevailing in other districts of the State.

Issuing the notice, the Commission has observed that the Right to Food is the basic human right and it is aware of the fact that the central government has introduced several schemes to ensure that the poor citizens, particularly, in the villages do not die due to starvation. The Public Distribution System of India, aimed to protect Right to Food, is an example for many countries. The entire process is digitized to ensure transparency but such inhuman practices as mentioned in the news report, prevailing in our society, indicate that in spite of announcement of schemes, their proper implementation is not being done by the administration.

The Commission has further observed that apparently, the State has failed in implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act of 2009, which mandates free and compulsory education to all children aged 6 to 14 years. The young innocent children are being subjected to cruelty due to apparent negligence by the state authorities. The media report indicates reckless attitude of the State Administration forcing the poor parents to take an unethical way to procure food for their families. Since, minor children are being forced to work in lieu of money, this also amounts to violation of the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986 and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) of Children Act, 2015.

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