Parents of Ashram girls demand age verification to be done at earliest

Scores of parents, whose daughters were rescued from Baba Virendra Dev Dixit's Ashram, have alleged that their children were being subjected to cruelty and misbehaviour.

The parents, who were in the court for the case proceedings, alleged that the girls have been kept in the Minda Bal Gram, Alipur for more than a month now but their age verification process is not being conducted.

"My daughter was taken to the Bal Gram on the suspicion that she was a minor. However, she was a major when she had gone to the ashram. It has been more than a month but I have met my daughter only twice.

"The age verification process has not been conducted till date. My daughter wants to come out but she is not allowed. Her studies are hampered," said Mukesh Devi, whose 19-year-old daughter is inside the Bal Gram.

41 inmates were rescued from the Rohini Ashram and kept at Minda Bal Gram, the CWC centre.

One of the parents, Ravita Devi hailing from Bhagalpur, alleged that the girls were not given sufficient food and water. "They are ill and even if we are taking fruits for them, we are not being allowed to give it to them," she said.

However, all the allegations were refused by DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal who stated that it is one of the best centres of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).

"I have myself visited the place and the allegations do not hold water. In the case of the delay of age verification, I think it is a complex process and so it is taking time. The gravity of the case and the facts related to it require time," she added.

The parents demanded that the girls be brought out at the earliest even as they would not be taken to their respective native places but would be sent back to the Ashram since they (girls) do not want to go back.