New Delhi/ Bhopal
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu action following media reports that a woman earned lakhs of rupees by forcing her five children aged between 2 and 10 years old to beg in Madhya Pradesh’s Indore district.
The commission learned that the woman bought a plot of land, a two-storeyed house, a motorcycle, smartphone worth Rs 20,000 and Rs 2.5L in six weeks by forcing her children to beg at different locations in the district, according to a release.
The commission has issued a notice to the Chief Secretary, Government of Madhya Pradesh calling for a detailed report of the matter within four weeks. The report should include steps taken and proposed to be taken to ensure that such incidents do not recur.
The state authorities are also directed to inform about the action taken with regard to the young children according to the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act including providing counselling in safe custody if required.
While issuing the notice, the Commission has also noted that there is no anti-begging law at the national level. Nonetheless, different states have passed laws to deal with the vicious practice of begging. Madhya Pradesh has passed and adopted. The law provides for the prevention of begging, detention, training and employment of beggars and their dependents, in certified institutions and for the custody, trial and punishment of beggar offenders in Madhya Pradesh. The woman was arrested by the police and sent to jail on remand on February 12.
