NCPCR writes to TN govt, demands action against Chennai's CSI Monahan school hostel over 'forced conversion'

New Delhi, September 10: Days after it came to light that the Tamil Nadu-based school hostel run by Church of South India(CSI) is forcing its student to convert to Christianity, now the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights writes to state govt to take immediate action in the matter.

In a letter, the NCPCR chairman has the Chief Secretary and DGP of the police department evacuate girls from a Christian school hostel in Chennai.

 

As per the reports, the hostel administration of CSI Monahan school is forcing poor girls' students to convert to Christianity. The force conversion matter come to light after the Chairman of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights(SCPCR) and other members of the commission paid a surprise visit to the School on September 6.

Moreover, during the investigation, it also came to light that the hostel is reportedly not registered with the government and lacks safe infrastructure.

 

 

 

 

Following this, SCPCR instructed District Child Protection and Rights Welfare Authority to rescue the girls and immediately accommodate them in an alternative place. However, the state commission received a call from the girls on September 9, saying that they haven’t been rescued yet and that the warden has started abusing them following the team’s visit.

 

After that SCPCr sent a report to NCPCR. In the report, SCPCR has accused the authorities of not taking their calls and the Social Justice Department(SJD) of supporting the Christian school and obstructing the rescue operation. Geeta Jeevan, Minister of Social Justice and Welfare, is a Christian, and positions in the department are predominantly occupied by Christians.

 

Taking cognisance of the matter, NCPCR has also directed the officials to lodge an FIR and initiate proceedings against the school and people associated with it. They are to be booked under section 42 of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015, for housing the girls in an unregistered Child Care Institution.

 

It has instructed the authorities to make a submission consisting of the FIR copy, statements of the children and their parents, and other relevant records within 3 days.