The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR) has launched a probe into the participation of children in a protest rally outside Bikash Bhavan in Salt Lake on Saturday. The rally was held by a group of teachers protesting alleged unfair treatment.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the incident, the commission has written to the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate, asking for a detailed report within three days.
In an official statement, the commission said:
“Children were seen holding placards at a gathering that appeared to be a protest. This is a clear violation of the Juvenile Justice Act, the Child Labour Act, and certain sections of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).”
The statement also expressed concern about the safety of children at the rally.
“These protests have shown signs of turning violent. Involving children in such situations puts them at serious risk,” the commission said.
Tulika Das, chairperson of the commission, told The Telegraph:
“Whenever we notice possible violations of child rights, we request a police investigation. Our main concern is whether the children were safe.”
According to reports, the children appeared at the protest site around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday. They came to show support for teachers who claim they have been unfairly targeted in an ongoing recruitment issue. These teachers have been holding a sit-in outside the education department headquarters at Bikash Bhavan.
Bidhannagar police commissioner Mukesh confirmed that they had received the letter.
“We will follow due process and send the report after completing our enquiry,” he said.
One of the protesting teachers, Mehboob Mandal, said they had not called any schoolchildren to join the rally.
“The children came with their parents and some schoolteachers. They wanted to show solidarity. We did not involve them in any planned way,” said Mandal, who represents the Deserving Teachers’ Rights Forum.
Mandal also mentioned that they had set up a temporary classroom at the protest site to highlight their demands.
“We even held lessons there to show our commitment to education. We have heard that the commission contacted the police, but we have not received any direct communication yet,” he added.
The protest, ongoing for several days, is being held by teachers who say they have been wrongly accused of irregularities in the state’s teacher recruitment process. The involvement of children has now raised serious questions about their safety and the legality of their participation in such public demonstrations.
