Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrashekhar appeals to PM to look into issue of child abuse
Bengaluru: Taking help of the online platform, Member of Parliament Rajeev Chandrashekhar has engaged citizens and also appealed to the PM to look into the pressing issue of child abuse. "For too long the menace of child abuse has been brushed under the carpet and it is growing without any concerted effort to fight it," says Rajeev Chandrashekhar sharing his views about the need to petition PM about committing to a roadmap to 'Protect Our Children from Sexual Abuse', he adds.
In his petition which reads, 'PM Modi, Please Commit to a Roadmap to Protect Our Children from Sexual Abuse', the politician has requested four specific actions from the PM. Firstly, he has requested an exhaustive fact-finding study or audit on the full extent of child sexual abuse in India, including child sex trafficking, tourists scouting for child sex and child pornography. "For such a serious problem, our response is very episodic and reactive, mostly post the crime and very little preventive or protective.
For example POCSO Act though well intentioned is poorly implemented. Institutions like NCPCR, Ministry of Child Development at center and Education and Child Ministries at state are almost non-participants in this effort to protect our children," stresses Rajeev. Secondly, it asks the government to present these findings to a multi-stakeholder group comprising of all stakeholders including the police, judiciary, child rights activists, policymakers and others, to evolve an overall framework of laws for Protecting Our Children.
"There is a need for us as parents and custodians of children to ensure a proper response," he adds speaking about this issue with DC. Thirdly, the petition asks for a roadmap for which the Government should be held clearly liable for its implementation. And, lastly it asks for an urgent establishment of a framework for the regulation of child care institutions such as schools, orphanages, tutorials and others.
Rajeev adds, "While the POCSO Act stipulates that these cases be disposed off in a year, in many cases, parents run pillar to post trying to get justice and more often than not give up, leaving a child offender free. The lack of sensitivity and training among police, education regulators and judges to deal with these cases is painfully obvious."
Citizen participation is the first step according the politician, "An aware citizen can pressurise the government to take notice. However, there is still some denial, and a sense of helplessness among people. But, the single most important thing is for citizens to mobilise and raise their voice against these atrocities."
