The Karnataka State Minorities Commission (KSMC) has taken serious note of the allegations of the ill-treatment of girls, misuse of funds, negligence by the staff and, hooliganism and homosexual behaviour by senior inmates at a Muslim Orphanage (MO) here.
The KSMC Chairman, Anwar Manippady, has shot off letters to the Karnataka Chief Secretary, the Secretary of the Department of Minority Welfare, and the Chief Executive Officer of the Karnataka State Board of Wakfs, recommending strict action against the culprits.
Manippady made the recommendations after he, along with seven other officials, visited the orphanage on December 31, 2011 to assess the situation. The Commission’s visit followed a series of complaints by the harassed girls. According to Manippady, the orphanage is “in a mess”.
The team found “glaring” violations of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2000. Mohammad Ashraf, Manager at MO- ITI, has been accused of making sexual overtures to a married woman who once stayed in the orphanage. “There is an absolute lack of supervision by the wardens. About eight senior girls have formed a gang and bully the junior inmates,” Manippady told Deccan Herald.
The Karnataka State Board of Wakfs, which supervises the orphanage as it is a Wakf institution, only compounded the situation with its lack of action against the culprits despite receiving complaints about four months ago.
Senior girls were found “bullying” the junior inmates. That’s not all, a part-time tutor, S K Banu, who is trying to set things right and is popular among the girls, was fired last week by the administrator of the orphanage for her crusade, Manippady added.
Manippady has demanded the immediate suspension of, and disciplinary action against, Ashraf, along with wardens Farhana, Sameera, Shahnaz, the PRO, Amjad, and the Executive Officer, Qamar Taj. Also, the present administrator should be replaced with the Director of Women and Child Welfare, Shamla Iqbal. The Department should be assigned the orphanage’s administration, but the latter should remain a Wakf institution, Manippady said.
The Department of Minority Welfare should directly monitor the administration and management of the orphanage. The senior girls be transferred to the juvenile homes run by the Department of Women and Child Welfare, Manippady demanded.
Action sought
The KSMC Chairman has also demanded action against those responsible for the death of Hajira (11), an orphan. Hajira had fallen unconscious after she sustained grievous head injuries when one of her co-inmates allegedly pushed her to the wall during a fight on November 30, 2011.
She was treated at various hospitals but succumbed to death the next day. The orphanage just did a cursory inquiry. Hajira’s mother, Suraiya Zaithun, approached the police who refused to lodge an FIR.
Manippady said the orphanage is “liable” for Hajira’s death and sought a compensation of Rs five lakh for her family.