RAIPUR: A shocking incident has emerged from a government-run Porta Cabin hostel in Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh, where three girls, including two minors, were found to be pregnant. The revelation has sparked concern within the district administration and the state education department, raising serious questions about the safety and supervision of students in government-run residential facilities.
However, the Government of Chhattisgarh has maintained that the facts are being misrepresented. State Education Minister Gajendra Yadav said the girls mentioned were not currently residents of the hostel.
According to preliminary reports, the pregnancies are estimated to be four to five months along. The girls were reportedly residing in the hostel while pursuing their studies when the matter came to light, triggering questions over how such a lapse in security and welfare could occur in a state-monitored institution.
After receiving information about the case, district authorities took serious note of the matter. A team of investigators is now examining the timeline of events and whether there was any negligence on the part of the hostel staff.
The issue also triggered uproar in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly on Monday, as opposition Indian National Congress MLAs confronted the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government over the reports.
The matter was raised during Zero Hour by Vikram Mandavi, MLA from Bijapur, along with Leader of the Opposition Charan Das Mahant and former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. Opposition members accused the state government of attempting to suppress a sensitive issue involving tribal minors.
According to Congress legislators, two of the girls are studying in Class 12 and one in Class 11, with two of them being minors. They alleged that soon after the pregnancies were discovered, the girls were hurriedly sent back to their homes to avoid public scrutiny.
Responding to the allegations, the Education Minister informed the House that two of the students were not residents of the Porta Cabin facility, while the third had gone home for the Diwali holidays and had not returned to the hostel since then. His response, however, failed to satisfy the opposition, which claimed that the administration was using technicalities regarding residency to downplay the incident.
Dissatisfied with the government’s explanation, opposition members staged a walkout from the House. Congress MLAs have demanded a high-level and transparent inquiry into the safety and security of students in state-run residential schools, and called for strict legal action against those responsible for any alleged negligence.