Recurrence of POCSO cases against teacher exposes systemic failure
The Hindu
‘Govt. should rethink reinstating teachers accused of sexually exploiting children’
The booking of a physically challenged Government primary school teacher for the third time on the charge of sexually abusing his children in different schools in the district has exposed the State’s systemic failure in protecting the rights of the children.
Experts who handle children’s issues in the State, including Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights member Nazeer Chaliyam, chorused that if the State had a strong policy or guideline, many primary children could have been saved from being abused by the same predator.
Mr. Nazeer told The Hindu that he had insisted on keeping aside the accused for longer periods from interacting with children in several cases of sexual abuse. “But what we seriously lack is a policy in this matter. As is practised elsewhere, including several Western countries, the accused person in such cases should not be allowed to interact with children any further,” he said.
“We are judges and therefore, cannot act like Mughals of a bygone era ... the writ courts in the guise of doing justice cannot transcend the barriers of law,” the High Court of Karnataka observed while setting aside an order of a single judge, who in 2016 had extended the lease of a public premises allotted to a physically challenged person to 20 years contrary to 12-year period stipulated in the law.
The High Court of Karnataka on Monday declined to interfere, at present, in the investigation against a Bharatiya Janata Party worker, who is among the accused persons facing charges of circulating obscene clips, related to “morphed” images and videos clips related to Prajwal Revanna, former Hassan MP, in public domain through pen drives and other modes.
The 16th edition of Bhoomi Habba was held on June 8, at the Visthar campus. The festival drew a vibrant crowd who came together to celebrate eco-consciousness through a variety of engaging activities, creative workshops, panel discussions, interactive exhibits and performances, all centered around this year’s theme: “Save Water, Save Lives.”