Recently a school in Karnataka’s Bidar was in the news for a play depicting kids criticising the CAA. Soon after, the police had booked one of the childrens’ mothers as well as the headmistress for sedition, and was also seen on tape interrogating kids as young as 9 years old. This ridiculous behaviour was panned by many.
According to NDTV, despite national coverage, the police has still been harassing children between classes 4 and 7, spending 4 to 5 hours every day interrogating them.
The school administration said children from Classes 6, 7 and 8 who were in the play have already been questioned 4 times. They keep asking, “who scripted the play?” and “Did the teacher instruct you?”
The 9-year-old student who’s mother was arrested is alone at home and being cared for by a neighbour. The student’s mother is a widow.
The school’s CEO Thouseef Madikeri said,
They are kept out of the class for four to five hours regularly. The Deputy Superintendent of Police will come around 1 pm. They will question the children till 4 O’clock. This is what has been happening for the last 4 days. We don’t know why they have put sedition section on is. It is beyond the imagination of any reasonable person.
Several parents have also written an open letter condemning the arrests as well as the inhumane treatment of young children.
In blatant violation of the Juvenile Justice Act (2015), the New Town station police have repeatedly interrogated the school children, some as young as 9, without allowing their parents to be present, for hours at a stretch
It’s absolutely unthinkable that such young kids would also be victimised by the ruling government. To treat a minor like a hardened criminal is ridiculous, especially considering the fact that some of the biggest politicians spew venom without any police action whatsoever. This kind of behaviour is unbecoming of a police force, and needs to stop immediately.