Aaditya Thackeray is being investigated by NCPCR for using children in the "Save Aarey" protest

In a notice released on Monday, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights requested that the Commissioner of Police (Mumbai) file a police report (FIR) against Yuva Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray and others for allegedly having minor children with them on July 10 at the Save Aarey protest against the new state government's decision to build a Metro car shed in the Aarey colony.

 

The notice was issued as a result of a complaint Dhrutiman Joshi, the Sahyadri Rights Forum's legal director, received via Twitter. The complaint's tagged link, according to the commission, depicts kids holding signs. Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi responded angrily to the call by writing in a tweet, "What a joke! They were a group of citizens, not protesters with the Shiv Sena. Shri @AUThackeray was pleased to see the kids' interest in forest preservation and that they wanted to meet him. Is this a new strategy to intimidate people into not protesting? Is it now illegal to save forests?

 

Anu Chaudhary, the registrar of the commission, stated that the act appears to be in violation of Articles 21 (Right to Life) and 23 (Right to Protection from Forced Labor) of the Indian Constitution as well as Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and the Child and Adolescent Labor (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986.

 

She added that in accordance with the Juvenile Justice Act, these kids should be located and brought before the Child Welfare Committee so that their statements can be recorded. Within three days of receiving this letter, she said, the commission could receive an "action taken report," a copy of the FIR, and the statements of these kids.

 

What a joke!, wrote Shiv Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi in response to the Commission's action in a tweet. They were members of the citizen's group, not the Shiv Sena protests. Shri @AUThackeray was pleased to see the kids' interest in forest preservation and that they wanted to meet him. Is this a new strategy to intimidate people into not protesting? Is it now illegal to save forests?

 

 

Image Courtesy: Twitter @AUThackeray