Children rights body writes to police chiefs over misuse of kids in protests against CAA

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Saturday warned all police chief of all states against "misuse" of children in protests against the newly-enacted citizenship law.

In a letter sent to DGPs of all states, NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo said that some groups were involving children in protests.

"This is to bring to your kind attention the misuse of children in the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill in different parts of the country. It has come to the commission's notice that a certain group of protesters are involving children in unlawful activities like stone-pelting and other violent acts during the protests," the letter read.

It further read, "Such use of children, prima facie, amounts to a violation of the rights of children under provisions of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection) Act, 2015."

The commission chief wrote that involving children in "illegal activities" by a gang attracts "rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years and shall also be liable to fine of five lakh rupees".

Several parts of the country especially Assam and West Bengal is witnessing protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, which grants citizenship to non-Muslims of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh who fled religious persecution and arrived in India until December 31, 2014.