A complaint has been lodged with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) against DMK and its leaders for using minor children in political protests.
On October 15, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government in Tamil Nadu staged a statewide protest against the Centre’s alleged ‘imposition of Hindi’ and the implementation of a national-level common entrance test.
A joint statement issued by DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin (46) and party student wing secretary CVMP Ezhilarasan (52), said that the party will hold demonstrations in all district headquarters on October 15, around 9 AM. This comes after a parliamentary panel led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah allegedly recommended that Hindi be made the medium of instruction in central educational institutes in Hindi-speaking states.
The DMK had organized protests at different cities like Chennai, Coimbatore, Vellore, etc. In the protest organized in Chennai headed by Udhaynidhi Stalin, school going children were made to participate in the protest.
Pictures circulating in the internet showed school-going children in uniforms attending the protest with placards bearing political and anti-government slogans.
Taking cognizance of the incident, the Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF) has filed a complaint with the NCPCR, seeking action into the matter of suppression of the rights of minor children.
In their complaint to NCPCR, they said, “We seek your kind attention and immediate strict action against using minor children for anti Government protests by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu. School children were made part of the protests and they were children who are being used as tools by political organizations to promote their ideologies.”
It continued, “Several images of the children taking part of anti government protests holding placards with slogans ‘Political drama with Hindi, Tamil Nadu will always oppose’; ‘We won’t accept Hindi imposition, We won’t lose our mother’; ‘Don’t snatch our rights, Don’t impose Hindi’ are circulating on social media platforms.”
The complaint ended by saying,” Use of children as props to fulfill political agenda is a kind of child abuse which can result in severe long-term impact on their mental health and is against Article 21 of the constitution of India. We request you to look into this matter of suppression of the rights of minor children and take necessary action.”
Filed complaint with @NCPCR_ seeking action against using minor Children in anti-Government & Political protests in TN organized by DMK Party against Parliamentary Panel's recommendation to make Hindi as medium of instruction in Central Government Educational Institutions. pic.twitter.com/axeVaDufAZ
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) October 15, 2022
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