India
Tech's the way: In a proposal to CM, ministry of Women and Child Development says forensic test will reveal if such a kid has been trafficked
Updated : May 14, 2015, 05:50 AM IST
In their bid to put a check on the use of trafficked children by the beggar mafia, Maharashtra's ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) has sent a proposal to the chief minister's office, suggesting mandatory DNA test on people begging with babies.
Explaining the rationale behind the proposal, minister for women and child development Vidya Thakur said, "A DNA test will help us establish whether the child has been trafficked and is being used for begging. After several instances of babies being stolen from maternity homes, pavement dwellers and even crowded places like stations were found to be landing up in the hands of begging mafia, it was felt this was necessary."
The minister said once the DNA test is made mandatory and is conducted in two or three cases, it will instill fear in the minds of the syndicates that indulge in such acts.
Hoping that the proposal comes through soon as a government resolution, which will ensure its implementation, she said, "Several other crimes like petty thefts, pick-pocketing and even sexual abuse of minors will be curtailed with this move."
Many like Child Welfare Committee (CWC) member Kiran More welcomed the move. "This should have happened long back. As CWC members we often see people trying to pose as parents and take away children rounded up in beggars' homes. Often beggars who claim that the children are theirs have got the kids from relatives and extended families in their native places and use them for begging. A DNA test will help us stop this menace"
In February 2013, the Supreme Court had lashed out at the Union government after the latter admitted that a whopping 1.7 lakh children were missing in the country. "Why doesn't anyone care about the missing children," an SC bench had wanted to know.
Two years later, 2.53 lakh more children have gone missing till March 2015, according to Home Ministry figures. Of these, 46% remain untraced – and 55% of them are girls.
In fact Maharashtra, statistics show, is one of the worst states in terms of missing children, with over 62,000 having disappeared in the past two years. Delhi (32,000), MP (26,000), UP (2.3,000) and Andhra Pradesh (21,500) come close with others following suit.
Echoing him, in light of these statistics, internationally renowned anti-trafficking expert Dr Pravin Patkar said he had raised a demand for making it mandatory to maintain DNA records of all children on several occasions in the past.
Dr Patkar said, "Given the child trafficking scenario in India, it is necessary that every single child be seen as potentially vulnerable to trafficking. A DNA database will help in tracking down offenders and saving scores of children."
Dr Asha Bajpai, who heads the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies and Human Rights at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, says she is not convinced with the idea. "It's a long and expensive process. Already our forensic labs are greatly under pressure. This will only delay every case. I still feel if CWC members diligently do their job, we can curb the menace of trafficking of children."
Three years ago dna had highlighted the case of rented babies being doped for begging. (pdf of June 17, 2012 being sent to desk)