Child rights body seeks action against AAP’s Gujarat unit for recruiting minor as party worker
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights asked the police to submit an action taken report within three days.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights on Thursday asked the Gujarat director general of police to initiate legal action against the Aam Aadmi Party for allegedly inducting an 11-year-old boy as a worker in the outfit, PTI reported.
It has been alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party’s Gujarat unit chief Gopal Italia and leader Isudan Gadhvi roped in a minor boy for political gains, the child rights body stated in a letter to the police.
“It is mentioned in the complaint that the minor has been recruited as a worker in the said political party and is being used for protests and child labour for political gains,” the letter read. “It is further mentioned in the complaint that the minor has been used by the party to further influence other people to join the party.”
The child rights body said that the complainant cited links from the Aam Aadmi Party’s social media accounts with content posted by the minor, PTI reported.
In recruiting the minor, the party has violated provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, and Article 21 (right to life) of the Indian Constitution, the child rights body said.
“The Commission thereby requests your good offices to look into the matter and have a thorough inquiry of the events and take necessary legal action,” it added. “An action taken report may be submitted to the Commission within three days of receipt of this letter.”
In June, the body had asked the Delhi Police to take legal action against Aam Aadmi Party’s candidate Durgesh Pathak for allegedly using a minor during byepoll campaigning, The Indian Express reported.
The child rights body had urged the Delhi Police to take action based on a complaint made by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Delhi unit chief Adesh Gupta.
On June 26, Pathak won the election from Delhi’s Rajinder Nagar Assembly constituency against the BJP’s Rajesh Bhatia by a margin of 11,468 votes.