The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued a reminder to the State Government for a detailed report on the issue of unwed motherhood of SC and ST minor girls and their names made public by SC and ST Development Minister lal Bihari Himirika in the Assembly last year.
Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy last year filed a petition in the NHRC stating that the violation of basic human rights of the 17 Dalit girls took place after they were meted out sexual harassment and their names were made public when they turned mothers.
Tripathy in his petition alleged that Minister Himirika brazenly disclosed names of 17 sexually-abused children in the Assembly while he was answering a question on the number of girls who became unwed mothers in Government-run hostels. Himirika read out a list of the victims giving details of their names, schools and classes.
The State runs 1,670 Ashram or Sevashram schools under the SC and ST Development Department. About 4.35 lakh students go to these schools. Almost 4 lakh students stay free of cost in 6,000 hostels. In disclosing the names of the sexually abused girls in Assembly, Himirika flouted IPC's Section 228 (A) that makes it illegal to identify victims of sexual assault, an offence punishable with jail up to two years and a fine. However, no legal action has been initiated against the errant person, petitioner Tripathy contended. The victims were neither duly compensated nor seriously rehabilitated, Tripathy alleged in his petition before the NHRC.
The failure of the SC and ST Development Department and the State police to act in the issue and take action against the accused amounts to serious violation of human rights, Tripathy alleged.
He earlier requested the NHRC to direct the State to take legal action against the errant persons and pay compensation and rehabilitate all the victims.
Notably, the NHRC has been monitoring the case for more than a year since April, 2015 but justice is yet to be done.