“These children will grow up with hatred inside them” Kerala High Court on using Minors by PFI for spreading hate

A video recently went viral in which a kid was spotted making hate slogans at the PFI’s ‘Save the Republic’ demonstration on May 21. “Hindus should keep rice for their dying rites, and Christians should have incense sticks for their last rites,” the youngster says in the video. You can dwell in our nation if you live decently, and if you don’t live nicely, we know Azadi (freedom). “Live a decent life, a decent life, a decent life.”

Kerala High Court today, while hearing a separate involving minors and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, observed that “Children are being forced to take part in political rallies and are made to voice all sorts of provocative slogans. That is some new kind of attraction, it seems. But how far is that legal?”

While discussing the matter, Justice Gopinath P orally remarked that he had recently witnessed a provocative video of a child spewing hatred at a political rally, the bench also asserted that “These children will grow up with hatred inside them.”

“Aren’t they fostering a new generation that grows up with religious hatred in their minds? When this child grows up and becomes a major, his mind will already be conditioned to this kind of rhetoric. Something must be done,” added Justice Gopinath P

Kerala High Court observation comes two days after the rally organised by the terrorist organisation Popular Front of India (PFI) in the Alappuzha district where the video of a minor boy seated on the shoulder of a man went viral.

Earlier, Priyank Kanoongo National chief of Commission for Protection of Child Rights also criticised the use of minors for spreading hate and said “Involving children in such activities is against the Juvenile Justice Act. We’re writing to the concerned district to file an FIR. Strict action should be taken. This is a cognisable offence.”