Why NHRC issued a notice on CJP’s Mumbai protesters | Explained
In its complaint to the National Human Rights Commission, Satish Vaid cited posts on X and alleged abuse of children for the protest in Mumbai
A mob of demonstrators, rallying under the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) banner at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park on October 2, 2024, was met with heightened scrutiny from India’s top human rights body, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). The protest, replete with politically charged and abusive slogans, saw children enlisted in the demonstration, a fact that set the NHRC ablaze.
The Commission, following a complaint by Satish Vaid from the Sewa Nyaya Uthan Foundation, delved into the possibility of minors being deliberately involved in the rally. Allegations pointed towards Ajinkya Shinde, Abhijit Dipke, and Saurav Das as key figures who allegedly orchestrated the inclusion of children in the protest, potentially shielding them from law enforcement.
The NHRC’s intervention, acting under specific provisions of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, demanded a comprehensive examination of mobile recordings, photographs, social media posts, and chat records. The Commission’s directive extended to the Mumbai Police, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, and Maharashtra’s Women and Child Development Department.
Experts like Delhi-based lawyer John Simte highlighted that no specific law bars children from attending protests, given the constitutional guarantee to assemble peaceably. Yet, the NHRC’s stance underscores the potential risks of child exploitation, a matter that has been echoed in similar interventions involving children at political campaigns and protests across India.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
