PUDUCHERRY: AIADMK legislature party leader A Anbazhagan on Wednesday urged Lt Governor Kiran Bedi to constitute a high level committee to probe the incident of five minor girls being kept as bonded labourers at a duck rearing farm where they were sexually assaulted by over 10 persons for nearly two years leading to a 13- year-old girl becoming pregnant.
Briefing newspersons here, Anbazhagan said the mother of two of the girls was killed some time back and it needs to be investigated whether this has anything to do with an organised crime network involving minor girls from poor families. The authorities here failed to notice the crime happening for such a long period and take action, he said.
These girls have been brought in from another state and converted into bonded laborers while the government authorities failed to act, he said, adding that bonded labour exists in various industries including construction, sugarcane cutting and duck grazing. The District Collector is responsible for enforcing the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act, but it is not being enforced properly in Puducherry, said Anbazhagan.
Though the Prevention of Child Labour Act has been in force, the government is not monitoring children under the age of 14 found working in clothing stores, cracker manufacturing units and companies, said Anbazhagan.
Urging financial assistance of Rs 50 lakh to the five girls, he wondered why Chief Minister V Narayanasamy who demanded the resignation of the UP Chief Minister following a rape incident in that state is silent now.