Response Sought From Centre, Delhi Government On Plea Against Child Begging

The plea sought directions to authorities to rehabilitate children who are beggars and to arrest those who are pushing women using toddlers, teenage girls and small children into begging.

The Delhi High Court on Friday sought response from the AAP government and the Centre on a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking eradication of begging by children in the national capital. A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice Amit Bansal issued notice on a PIL by Ajay Gautam and also sought responses from Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights and Delhi Police. In his petition, Mr Gautam has sought directions to the authorities to rehabilitate children who are beggars and to identify and arrest the persons who are "pushing women using toddlers, teenage girls and small children into begging and...crime" and exploiting young girls. Mr Gautam has alleged that in spite of the presence of beggars in every part of the city, the authorities have failed to take any remedial steps to curb the menace.