The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has asked the Arunachal Pradesh Government to pay Rs 5,000 each to 88 girl students of a school, who were forced to remove their clothes as punishment by three teachers.
The Commission’s directive came after the Arunachal Pradesh Government confirmed the incident and informed that the act of three teachers had been found inhumane and cruel. The Arunachal Pradesh Government who had earlier initiated a probe into the incident observed the ‘punishment’ of the 88 girls as against the basic human dignity and decency.
After the probe by the state government, the Arunachal Pradesh Education Department placed one teacher under suspension, while the two others were removed from the services. The three teachers had also been arrested under different section of law but later on released on bail. The affected girl students had been imparted emotional and psychological counseling.
The Arunachal Pradesh government have also show caused the Chairman, Arunachal Farmers’ Development Society, Sagalee, which is running the KGBV, seeking explanation why the MoU signed between the society with SSA, Rajya Mission, Itanagar, should not be terminated. It has also been directed that male Headmasters and teachers engaged in all KGBVs in the State be replaced immediately and it is also proposed to install cameras in the girls hostel.
It may be mentioned here that on November last year three teachers of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya at Papum Pare forced 88 minor girls to remove their cloths in front of the entire school as punishment, when none among them confessed for having written vulgar words against the head teacher and another student on a piece of paper on the 23rd November, 2017.
The Union Ministry of Human Resource and Development has informed about a series of guidelines have been issued to the State Governments. These also include guidelines on the safety and security of girl students in the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas.
The Commission has observed that the report from the Government of Arunachal Pradesh indicates that the concerned State authorities have failed in their responsibility to protect the Right to dignity of the 88 girls for which vicariously they are liable. The criminal proceedings initiated against the guilty teachers have been noted but the State Government should also pay a sum of Rs . 5,000 each as monetary relief to the 88 girl students. It has also asked for a compliance report along with proof of payment within four weeks.