Judicial probe ordered into Nari Niketan case

Jaswinder Singh Baidwan

Akhran da mureed
Staff member
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Chief Minister Harish Rawat has ordered a judicial probe into the Nari Niketan episode in Dehradun. Interacting with mediapersons today, Rawat said the state government would ask the Nainital High Court to appoint a judge to probe the irregularities, including the alleged rape of a speech and hearing impaired and deaths of inmates due to malnutrition, at the Nari Niketan.
The decision by the Chief Minister has come at a time when the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made it a political issue. The workers of the BJP Mahila Morcha today took out a march to the Chief Minister’s residence to demand a CBI inquiry into the allegations.
The happenings in the Dehradun Nari Niketan came to light following sexual exploitation and abortion of a speech and hearing impaired and subsequent death of two inmates.
The Chief Minister had ordered an investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Uttarakhand Police which arrested eight employees of the Nari Niketan who were allegedly involved in the rape and abortion of an inmate. The SIT has also filed a chargesheet against the alleged accused in the court.
However, the Opposition BJP called it inadequate and demanded a CBI probe into the episode charging the state government of saving the real culprits.
The Chief Minister said the deaths of inmates were unfortunate and his government had taken a number of steps to improve the conditions of Nari Niketan and children homes throughout the state.
“We raised the money for providing them food, besides taking other safety measures. We are in consultation with a voluntary group having expertise in the field to run Nari Niketans. There is move to segregate inmates having mental and psychological problems from normal ones and also organise various professional trainings for them,” he said.
Rawat said that the police and magisterial inquiry into the sexual exploitation case were over and culprits were chargesheeted. However, he has asked the State Women Commission to have its own Special Investigative Team (SIT) having eminent persons, including past and present members and journalists, to investigate the matter.
On the issue of panchayat land allotment to a private group to run a residential school at Nainisar in Almora district and subsequent protests by the locals, the Chief Minister said the Kumoan Commissioner had been asked to probe the violence at the site and give its report within 15 days.
Interestingly, the state government has booked Uttarakhand Parivartan Party (UPP) chief PC Tiwari and other activists, who had gone to serve stay orders to the school authorities on January 25. It was alleged that the activists were beaten up by workers of the school and later, the police also booked the activists under the SC/ST Act.
Rawat said it was a policy decision to allot land to schools and hospitals in the hilly areas to check migration. He said 30 per cent of the admissions in the schools would be given to locals and 90 per cent Class IV and 50 per cent of Class III jobs would be reserved for the locals in such enterprises.
Protest march by BJP Mahila Morcha to CM’s house foiled
Dehradun: Members of the BJP Mahila Morcha took out a march to the Chief Minister’s residence on Monday seeking a CBI inquiry into the Nari Niketan incident. However, they were stopped midway by the police at a barricade at Hathi Barkala. Some of the members were hurt in the melee as they were pushed sideways. Later, president of the morcha Manju Tiwari demanded resignation of the Chief Minister. She said, “There are allegations of female trafficking and doubts have been raised about the report presented by the officials. Attempts are also being made to cover up the issue.” Former Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal lashed out at the Chief Minister for being silent on the issue. The BJP Mahila Morcha had earlier held a week long dharna at Gandhi Park from January 23.
 
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