Recently, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) had received a complaint wherein it has been informed that The Aangan Trust and Together for Equality Institutional Care (TQIC) have been made privy to sensitive information about the children housed in various Child Care Institutions (CCIs) in India for developing an application i.e., SafCa, a digital tool developed to streamline regular monitoring of CCIs by it, which seems to have been made operational in the States of Karnataka and Nagaland on November 9th, 2021.
On November 11, ten districts of Karnataka and two of Nagaland deployed SafCa.
According to the Aangan Trust’s website (www.aanganindia.org, during the period of April 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021, it received funds from four different organisations including the USA-based Tides Foundation. Aangan Trust has received a mind boggling Rs 1,31,79,600.00 from Tides Foundation.
Surprisingly, as per Influencewatch.org, the Tides Foundation is a major center-left grantmaking organisation and a major pass-through funder to numerous Left-leaning non-profit organisations. Many of the Tides Foundation’s largest donors are center-Left grantmaking foundations. One of the notable grantors between 1998 and 2018 includes George Soros’s Open Society Foundation. Tides Foundations received two major grant of $10,259,289 and $12,130,241 from George Soros foundation.
It is known fact that the Open Society Foundations of George Soros, contrary to its vouched values, has been funding the Left-Islamist-Missionary nexus to weaken democratic institutions.
Through his Open Society Foundations, which started its operations in India first in 1999 by offering scholarships and fellowships to pursue studies and research at Indian institutions, George Soros has made great strides in creating unrest within India. In the name of philanthropic activities, the Left-wing international organisation has begun to spread its ugly tentacles across the country by supporting anti-India elements operating inside India. Even in America, it was alleged that the Open Society Foundations had pumped millions of dollars to orchestrate violent protests during the Black Lives Matter.
Despite several attempts by Organiser, the Aangan Trust, which claims to work for child protection, on this issue, the organisation refused to give any information.
Atiya Bose is the Chief Executive officer of Aangan Trust, while Tasneem Ali and Shailja Mehta are trustees. The Trust was founded by Suparna Gupta, the Governing Board of Aangan.
Surprisingly, Atiya Bose has all along been advocating anti-Citizenship Amendment Act and openly supporting anti-national activists who were protesting to repeal the law which was made to allow Indian citizenship to the persecuted minorities from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan – Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians – who had come to India till December 31, 2014.
Due to such instigations, the country has seen several violent protests including the infamous Delhi riots that led to the ruthless killings of many members of the Hindu community.
The complainant has alleged that this sharing of sensitive information with NGOs is in violation of Section 74 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) of Children Act and Section 228A of the Indian Penal Code and that sensitive data about children in CCIs being put in the hands of NGOs may pave way for further misuse of it for monetary gains too.
Taking Cognisance of the Complaint
The Commission, in view of the allegations made in the complaint, deems it appropriate to take cognisance in the matter under Section 13(1)CI) of the CpCn Act, 2005.
The children living in CCIs are kids in need of care and protection and children in conflict with law and that disclosure of their identity to these private NGOs prima facie amounts to violation of Section 74 of the JJ Act, 2015 and Section 23 of the POCSO Act, 2012.
According to the Commission, it is observed that this development of a digital tool for streamlining regular monitoring of CCIs is the mandate of the NGOs and that these NGOs are also engaged in running CCIs and giving support services to CCIs. Therefore, this act of developing a digital tool for monitoring of CCIs and collection of data thereof is not only in conflict of interest with the working of these NGOs but is also illegal.
The Commission has requested the Government of Karnataka that the digital tool SafCa should be discontinued and the sensitive information shared with these NGOs should be deleted.
On a positive note, Priyank Kanoongo informed Organiser that NCPCR has requested the State Government to take strict action against the Department involved in sharing this information of children with these NGOs and development of this digital tool by NGOs.
