Conversions and Sexual exploitation of minors by priests in churches and related institutions have witnessed a rise in Tamil Nadu lately. Recently the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) stepped in and directed TN DGP to initiate action against a Christian school.
In a letter to DGP Sylendra Babu and Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu on September 9, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has sought action against CSI Monahan School in Royapettah in Chennai for housing girl students in their unregistered child care institute and forcing them into religious conversions to Christianity.
The NCPCR has asked them to rescue the girl students within 24 hours and file an FIR against the school over the forced religious conversions. The Child Rights body said the girls must be produced before the child welfare committee for the recording of their statements and counselling as per Juvenile Justice (care and protection) Act 2015. It also directed them to give details of steps taken for their rehabilitation either to their parental home or other suitable facility as per law.
Priyanka Kanoongo, the Chairperson of NCPCR said in her letter that “some girls informed officials of TNSCPCR that they are being abused by the hostel warden. They further shared that now their parents have been asked to come and give consent to the school management that their children can stay in a hostel. The National child protection panel asked the Tamil Nadu Police DGP to file an FIR against the said CCI and persons associated with it and it directed the police to submit an action taken report, along with a copy of the FIR, statements of children and their parents and relevant records to be submitted to the commission within three days from the receipt of the letter.
Tamil Nadu State Commission for Protection of Child’s Rights (TNSCPCR) recently formed a team to conduct inspections to check hostels attached to schools in the state. The team found that the Child Care Institution (CCI) attached to CSI Monahan School was unregistered during their inspection on September 6. It came to light that the school was housing girls from poor economic backgrounds who were then forced to follow Christianity. After the inspection, the probationary officer instructed the District Child Protection Unit (DCPO) and Child Welfare Committee (CWC) to rescue the girls. Based on their report NCPCR has taken the action. There are 55 girls, studying in VI to XII have been staying in the paid hostel.
TN Social Welfare Minister Geetha Jeevan (a Christian) denied religious conversion of girls and claimed that the report to the NCPCR from the TNSCPCR on conversion was fabricated one. She said a team of officials spoke to the children, their family members, management of the hostel and recorded their statements and it found that there was no religious conversion happening in the hostel. Saraswathy Rangasamy, who headed the TNCPCR team to inspect the schools, said that action should have been taken right now, but the government is yet to take action against this school. We should wait till Monday to know the response of the government. She and member Saranya Jayakumar met the TN governor submitted 85 page report on recent inspection of unregistered homes.
“The school was not registered under the TN Hostels and Homes for Women and Children (Regulation) Act, 2014 and lacked basic amenities. Procedure to rescue the children has been initiated, and the Collector will look into it” said government sources.
After visiting the school, S Peter Alphonse, Chairman of the State Minorities Commission with commission members, told media that allegations against the school were made just to create hate among the people and bring a bad name to the government. It is clear that the government and minority panel wants to hush up the issue by giving clean chit to the Christian institution.
In another incident, girl students of government higher secondary school at Thingal sandai near Eraniyel in Kanyakumari district, complained to the police about the accountancy teacher using sexy words, double entendre, detailing loving making acts explicitly in class room. “When questioned we are being threatened and locked in the class room. They tell our parents that he was taking class and it was related to the subject. Accountancy and sexology are different subjects altogether” says student Shruthi in her complaint. “The teacher was habitual offender and was earlier suspended for the same crime”, says a parent.
