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 2.5 lakh in six weeks by forcing her children to beg at different locations in the district, according to a release.
“The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, amount to a violation of human rights. The woman arrested in the instant case is reportedly a repeat offender which indicates that the authorities concerned are not vigilant due to which the young children are being victimised even by their family members. At an age when young children have to attend schools and concentrate on their studies and careers, they are forced to adopt unethical ways of living,” the release read. Thereafter, 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. “The Commission would like to know whether any survey has been recently conducted by the State government to find out the number of beggars, action taken against them as well as steps taken for their rehabilitation,” it added.
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 MP Bhiksha Vritti Nivaran Adhiniyam, 1973”. 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. Therefore, there is a need for a strict implementation of the law so that children do not become easy prey for the anti-social elements, the release further read. The woman was arrested by the police and sent to jail on remand on February 12.
