Deogarh Bus Mishap: Petition Filed In NHRC

BHUBANESWAR: A petition has been filed with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) seeking to direct the Odisha government to provide interim compensation of Rs. 10 lakh to the next kin of the deceased and Rs. 5 lakh to injured persons in the Deogarh bus mishap that took 27 lives on Sunday evening.

Human rights activist Subash Mohapatra, who filed the petition, also sought action against concerned officials for not registering the opera parties and not taking stringent action under child labour act as the children are used and forced to perform whole night in the opera parties.

“The opera parties are performing between midnight and 5 am in many places of Odisha, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, where Oriya community dominates. The children were made to perform and make stage shows including sexual and vulgar scenes before the mass audience,” he alleged.

He also said that the district administrations permit them to carry out these stage shows despite the fact that they are practising slavery.

While the allegation of engagement of child artists in sexual and vulgar scenes and inhumane treatment to them is rampant, the authorities do not take action. Further, the artists, most of them are minors and young, are trafficked, and the authorities remain silent on them, he alleged.

He said that a petition was earlier filed before the commission over the issue while the state government responded that they have issued circular for mandatory registration of the opera parties.

“But most of the opera parties like Bharati Gananatya are running illegally, and the authorities are responsible for the non-implementation of the preventive measures, including registration of the opera parties and stringent action under child labour act,” said Mohapatra.