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Mangalore: A group of Dalits and Christians staged a protest against Women and Child Welfare Department in front of a hostel named balakara Mandira in Bondel here, on Wednesday. According to the protesters, 29 children aged between 6 and 15 were forcibly kept in illegal confinement for many days claiming their protection and education.
All the children including one girl identified as Chandana (11) were from different places of the State, including Tumkur, Halebid, Hassan and Chikmagalur. Seven of them were also from Patna in Bihar. All of them were brought to the hostel last Saturday after a raid carried out by a team led by Child Welfare Committee Chairperson Asha Nayak on a “congested” hall in Pakshikere near Haleyangady.
Asha Nayak claimed that the children along with around ten other people, including the family which looked after the children were kept in a hall, measuring around 250 sq. ft., which had only one bathroom and a toilet for all of them.
Nayak had said that while interrogating the man in charge of the so-called hostel, he said that they were brought here for education. When asked for documents showing parental consent for allowing the children to be under his care, or financial records, the man claimed that they were with the chartered accountant, she added.
On Tuesday, the department had asked the parents of all the children to be present at the remand home but did not hand over the children to them as they did not bring relevant documents to prove that they are indeed the parents.
Asha Nayak alleged that the Christian Guru K J Joy, his wife Elizabeth, and their children Joel and Jobi had kept the 29 children under illegal confinement. She claimed that the children were also being forced to convert their religion. Asha Nayaka asserted that Chandana had complained about Joy molesting her, which provoked the locals, who thrashed him. Later police took him into custody for interrogation.
However while confronting the media on Wednesday, the eleven year old girl changed her statement and asserted that she was neither molested nor was ill treated by Joy. She added that she was compelled to say such things against Joy.
Christian Federation of India, Dalita Sangharsha Samiti and KMN staged a demonstration for over an hour condemning the raid and demanding justice to Joy. A leader of Christian Federation of India, Prashant Jattan averred that the incident was a conspiracy against committed social workers. He stated that the girl has disclosed the truth and Joy has been proven innocent. DSS leader Keshav was also present.
K J Joy refused the allegations against him and his family and said that he was running just a children's hostel for children below the age of 15, so that he could provide them with education. He also claimed that he received financial support for the cause from foreign countries. However, he couldn't produce any documents to support his claims.
All the children including one girl identified as Chandana (11) were from different places of the State, including Tumkur, Halebid, Hassan and Chikmagalur. Seven of them were also from Patna in Bihar. All of them were brought to the hostel last Saturday after a raid carried out by a team led by Child Welfare Committee Chairperson Asha Nayak on a “congested” hall in Pakshikere near Haleyangady.
Asha Nayak claimed that the children along with around ten other people, including the family which looked after the children were kept in a hall, measuring around 250 sq. ft., which had only one bathroom and a toilet for all of them.
Nayak had said that while interrogating the man in charge of the so-called hostel, he said that they were brought here for education. When asked for documents showing parental consent for allowing the children to be under his care, or financial records, the man claimed that they were with the chartered accountant, she added.
On Tuesday, the department had asked the parents of all the children to be present at the remand home but did not hand over the children to them as they did not bring relevant documents to prove that they are indeed the parents.
Asha Nayak alleged that the Christian Guru K J Joy, his wife Elizabeth, and their children Joel and Jobi had kept the 29 children under illegal confinement. She claimed that the children were also being forced to convert their religion. Asha Nayaka asserted that Chandana had complained about Joy molesting her, which provoked the locals, who thrashed him. Later police took him into custody for interrogation.
However while confronting the media on Wednesday, the eleven year old girl changed her statement and asserted that she was neither molested nor was ill treated by Joy. She added that she was compelled to say such things against Joy.
Christian Federation of India, Dalita Sangharsha Samiti and KMN staged a demonstration for over an hour condemning the raid and demanding justice to Joy. A leader of Christian Federation of India, Prashant Jattan averred that the incident was a conspiracy against committed social workers. He stated that the girl has disclosed the truth and Joy has been proven innocent. DSS leader Keshav was also present.
K J Joy refused the allegations against him and his family and said that he was running just a children's hostel for children below the age of 15, so that he could provide them with education. He also claimed that he received financial support for the cause from foreign countries. However, he couldn't produce any documents to support his claims.
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