Govt's silence over rescued children irks TSLD
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network

Imphal, March 17 2013 : Of the 51 children rescued from two children homes in Jaipur, Rajasthan, 30 children are from Ukhrul district of Manipur.

Of them, 22 are girls and 8 children are boys.

There are also some children from Chandel district and elsewhere in Manipur.

Meanwhile, Felicita Shongvah, president of Tangkhul Shanao Long, Delhi (Tangkhul Women Union) who rushed in to Manipur recently, has left Imphal for New Delhi again this afternoon in this connection.

Before her departure, Felicita Shongvah rued that the state government of Manipur had not initiated any step when such a large number of children from the state are facing intense trauma far away in the mainland.

"Only few of the rescued children are from Nagaland but Neiphiu Rio had comforted and consoled them.

The Nagaland chief minister had also assured that he would go himself to New Delhi soon to bring his state's children," pointed out Felicita Shongvah while asking, "What step our state government of Manipur has taken to bring back those children?" The Tangkhul Shanao Long, Delhi president said they feel extremely bad when the Manipur government chooses to remain mute on the issue.

"The incident has been widely published both in the national print media and news channels and that it has become a National news but our government here displays a callous attitude," expressed Felicita Shongvah to Newmai News Network this morning.

"Where has the Social Welfare department and the Child Welfare or any other concerned department gone?" asked the Tangkhul Shanao Long president.

Felicita Shongvah also said the chief secretary of Manipur had earlier assured to take initiatives in this connection but till date no visible move from the state government side was seen.

"The rescue operation was done on March 12 and even after almost a week, nothing has comeforth from the Manipur government side," lamented Felicita Shongvah.

Meanwhile, it was learnt from the TSLD that the government of Rajasthan had assured to extend whatever helps to the 51 rescued children. According to Felicita Shongvah, the government of Rajasthan had assisted with Rs 5000 each to all the 51 children.

"The Rajasthan government had asked us what help it could extend to the trafficked children and we had told that it should assist them in education," revealed the TSLD president.

Accordingly, the governmernt of Rajasthan has assured the children of providing good education, added Felicita Shongvah.

Meanwhile, the children are now undergoing a kind of counseling.

On March 12, young girls and boys including minors from Manipur and Nagaland and elsewhere had been rescued after two children homes in Jaipur were raided by a joint team of the Tangkhul Shanao Long-Delhi, the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Rajasthan, social workers, activists and media persons. Both the children homes are called 'Grace Home' which were illegally run by one Jacob John, flouting every norm and guideline laid by the Child Welfare Committee.

He was arrested under the Indian Penal Code section 344,366 and 370(5) and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000 section 23 and 28.TSLD was informed about the existence of these homes by a former inmate.

TSLD then got in touch with the concerned authorities in Jaipur, according to TSL-D .

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