RSS accused for trafficking girls from Assam
What's the story
On 30th July, 2016, Congress accused three organisations of the Sangh Parivar of trafficking young tribal girls from Assam. In a joint press conference, Mahila Congress chief Shobha Oza and party spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said that the claims were backed by a detailed investigation and documentary evidence. According to Priyanka: "The Sangh Parivar flouted Indian and International Laws on Child Rights" for the same.
Information
September 2010
The Supreme Court (SC) in September 2010 issued a directive that barred children below the age group of 12 from being sent outside of Assam and Manipur for education.
09 Jun 2015
The incident of trafficking
31 tribal girls, ranging from ages 8-11, were taken to Delhi from 5 border districts of Assam namely Kokrajhar, Goalpura, Dhubri, Chirang and Bongaigaon. These girls were taken by 2 women belonging to the Sangh Parivar outfit on the promise of education in Punjab and Gujarat. Most girls belonged to the Bodo and Santhal communities; the families were promised their return after 3-4 years.
11 Jun 2015
Attempt to take legal action in 'child trafficking'
The Assam State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR) wrote a letter to the Assam Police, marking it to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR). The commission deemed the incident as "child trafficking". Both the Police and the NCPCR failed to take any action in the matter. The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) also failed to take any action.
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Facade of better education
"Painful, ugly and dirty truth of trafficking of young tribal girls from Assam under the garb of better education by none other than three affiliates of the 'Sangh Parivar' i.e 'Rashtra Sevika Samiti', 'Vidya Bharti' and 'Sewa Bharti' stands exposed", claimed a Congress press release.
The allegations
What the RSS is accused of doing
The Congress party has alleged that the Sangh Parivar trafficked the young tribal girls in order to "indoctrinate" them. According to the Congress, orders from the ASCPCR, CWC, Kokrajhar, Child Protection Society and Childline (Delhi and Patiala) to return the girl children were violated. RSS workers, affiliated organisations are accused of violating the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000 and Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005.
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NDA government questioned
The Congress party asked "Is this the fulfillment of the Prime Minister's promise of 'BETI BACHAO, BETI PADHAO'? Is this BJP/RSS' idea of inculcating education and protecting children? Would the BJP ensure that the 31 girls return home to their families?"
The Institution
The Gujarat School
According to reports, the school that the girls are made to attend has pictures of Hindu gods, goddesses and prominent Indian figures. The main aim of the teachings is to instil "Hindu values" in the girls who pray every morning. The report also stated that the girls have accepted patriarchal virtues such as Sati and Jauhar. Lessons comprise of the hindutva understanding of subjects.