Move to prevent kids for campaigns
Since it has become a routine practice for political parties to deploy children in election campaigns, the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) and Child Welfare Committee have planned to create an awareness programme among the electorate in RK Nagar constituency where bypoll is scheduled to be held on December 21.
By : migrator
Update: 2017-12-06 20:46 GMT
Chennai
Officials from the Labour department have also warned that action would be taken against any party using children for campaign purposes.
Sources said that as the by-election t the R K Nagar was fast approaching, functionaries and cadres of political parties have already begun to rope in poor children in the constituency for campaigning.
Poor families were the targets and they were paid measly amounts to let their children be part of the campaign processes.
Usually, the children are dressed up to look like prominent politicians in campaign processions.
Meanwhile, child rights activists have urged the authorities to strictly monitor the campaign trails of parties.
T Jayanthi Rani, former member of Tamil Nadu Commission for Protection of Child Rights (TNSCPCR) said, “Children should be treated as children. Exploiting them for political campaigns is against law and child rights. Further, parents should be alert and not send their wards to any campaign.”
She sought cooperation from the public to eliminate such practices and based on evidence, cases should be filed against political parties engaging children for the campaigns.
When DTNext contacted Saravanan, District Child Protection Officer, Chennai he said, “We are aware of such issues and would conduct awareness programmes in R K Nagar constituency soon. We will also distribute pamphlets to create awareness among the public.”
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