NEW DELHI: Calling the allegations of misuse of government funds ‘baseless’, the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) said on Saturday that the probe ordered in the matter by the L-G VK Saxena is a tactic to save a BJP leader whose school is under the scanner of the panel.
DCPCR member Abhinandita Dayal Mathur said that the body found serious lapses during its investigation of a East Delhi based school run by BJP leader Kuljeet Chahal. “The school received serious complaints from parents, and during the DCPCR investigation, several norms were found to be violated, leading to actions against the school. The reality is that the L-G’s actions of ordering this investigation are to retaliate and display alleged loyalty towards the BJP. If the L-G genuinely cares about children and wants to investigate, they should first take action against the BJP leader’s school,” Mathur said.
According to her, the DCPCR found the school flouting fire safety norms and lack of information on operating fire safety equipment. She said that the school had illegally started a first-grade class, which parents complained about.
“When the DCPCR inspection team visited, they found fire safety norms were not being followed. No one in the entire school knew how to operate fire safety equipment. Moreover, the toilets for boys and girls were the same, although they should have been separate. Several toilets were placed in one room without partitions, compromising children’s privacy and security,” Matur said.
The DCPCR member further added, “In this inquiry, many unacceptable things were unraveled. This issue concerned the safety and well-being of children, and the DCPCR took routine action against the school, irrespective of who’s the owner of the school. This inquiry and audit by the LG is in the line of retaliation against the DCPCR’s inquiry allegedly. To prove his alleged loyalty towards the BJP by saving the BJP leader’s school, the LG has initiated the inquiry and audit. We have no problem with the inquiry. The DCPCR is an important body, where routine measures are taken.”
A day ago, Saxena approved a proposal by the women and child development department to initiate an inquiry and a special audit into allegations of misuse of government funds in the functioning of the DCPCR. The child rights panel has been accused of exponentially increasing their annual budget from `2 crore of in 2017 to over `15 crore in the ongoing financial year.