Karnataka govt issues non-bailable warrant against NCPCR chief over his visit to orphanage

NEW DELHI: The Karnataka government on Thursday issued a non-bailable warrant against National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) president Priyank Kanoongo for comparing children’s condition in a Bengaluru orphanage, Darul Uloom Sayideeya Yateemkhana, to medieval Taliban life.

The police registered a case on the complaint of one of the members of the orphanage against Priyank Kanoongo.

“On November 19, Priyank Kanoongo, along with the District Child Protection Officer (East) and other officials, conducted a surprise inspection of an illegally running unregistered orphanage named Darul Uloom Sayyadiya Yatim Khana in Bengaluru, Karnataka, in which many irregularities were found”, the NCPCR said.

बंगलुरु,कर्नाटक में दारूल उलूम सैय्यादिया यतीम खाना नाम से अवैध ढंग से चलते हुए एक ग़ैरपंजीकृत अनाथ आश्रम का औचक निरीक्षण किया जिसमें कई अनियमिततायें पायी गयीं।

यहाँ क़रीब 200 यतीम (अनाथ) बच्चों को रखा गया है।
100 वर्गफ़िट के कमरे में 8 बच्चों का रखा जाता है,ऐसे 5 कमरों में 40… pic.twitter.com/dnp1g8Wj7a

— प्रियंक कानूनगो Priyank Kanoongo (@KanoongoPriyank) November 20, 2023

The NCPCR president has said that the Karnataka government wants to suppress the voice of the commission which is just talking about the rights of the poor children.

Highlighting the poor condition in which children are living in orphanage in Bengaluru, Priyank Kanoongo said, “There was an orphanage called Sayyediya Yateemkhana in Bengaluru. We visited it under the CPCR Act. This Act gives us the duty to inspect every place where children live, especially those children who are orphans. About 200 orphan children were kept at that place. Not only this, eight children were kept together in rooms of 100 square feet, and 40 children lived in the remaining five rooms. Apart from this, 16 children were seen in the corridor”.

He also said that the employees present there said that the children do not attend school, but they are imparted the same education which is 200 years old.

“Not only this, there was no playing equipment for children in this orphanage, nor was there any TV. There were very small children who were scared. After issuing the notice, it came to light that the Karnataka government has registered a case against me under non-bailable sections. They want to suppress our voices. If we talk about the rights of poor children, the Karnataka government looks at it through the prism of religion. They talk about suppressing the commission. They have to understand that their tactics will not be successful. They will have to take action in this matter”, Priyank Kanoongo said.

“A notice has been sent to Karnataka Chief secretary and the commission has requested that an action taken report be sent to the Commission within seven (7) days of issuance of this letter,” he added. He further said that the NCPCR has sent notices to chief secretaries of different states to close all the unregistered orphanages that are running illegally. (ANI)