Hyderabad: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Thursday ordered a probe into the functioning of government-run social welfare schools in Telangana, based on a complaint that alleged there is an influence of ‘private group’ called ‘Swaeros’ in its day-to-day functioning.
The complaint, filed by the Legal Rights Protection Forum alleged ‘Swaeros’ for promoting anti-Hindu ideology and corrupting the minds of children studying in schools/hostels run under the aegis of Telangana Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society (TSWREIS).
In the complaint dated March 20, the forum alleged that ‘Swaeros’ is indulging in highly enraging anti-social activities by poisoning the minds of little children and the society at large in the name of upliftment of poor SC students and providing quality education.
“Such dubious activities in the name of welfare must stop, and punitive measures must be adopted to bring such state actors working in a non-stately actor fashion to Justice in the larger interest of public peace and maintenance of Law & Order”, the complaint stated.
NCPCR noted serious complaints levied against the TSWREIS, in which it was alleged that Swaroes (an alumni group and activist working for the schools) are interfering by administering their own pledges, anthems and Guru Mantra.
“An impression is sought to be created that it is Swaroes that is running hundreds of educational institutions with its own funds, when the fact is that these institutions are being run by the State government,” NCPCR said, in reference to the group’s involvement in schools and colleges of the society.
Further, the commission took cognizance of the complaint that Christian preachers are given a free access and irrespective of the students’ ancestral religious beliefs, are forced to participate in Christian worship. “(The complainant) also alleges that holidays have been altered for Hindu festivals, preventing children from travelling home during such festivals,” it noted in the order addressed to Somesh Kumar, state’s chief secretary.
“It is stated that such allegations made in the complaint against TSWREIS-SWAEROS are a violation of Article 25 and 28 (3) of the constitution and the provisions of juvenile justice act, 2015 that seriously jeopardize rights and freedoms of children,” the commission said, requesting a detailed inquiry into the scope and ambit of the association of SWAEROS with TSWREIS.
It sought the report on the required information within ten days.
Earlier, RS Praveen Kumar landed in a soup after a video of him taking a pledge that he will not believe and pray to Hindu gods went viral. The additional DGP rank officer soon issued a clarification that the social welfare network has people from all religious beliefs and that they don’t propagate any kind of prejudice.