NGOs working for child rights oppose JJ Amendment Bill

“Heinous offfences as defined right now includes anything that carried punishment above seven years’ imprisonment. This includes carrying narcotics, prostitution etc., which are areas where the child is being forced to participate,” said Atiya Bose of Aangan.

“Section 19 of the new Bill contradicts the act itself. The principles of the Act say that it is to protect the child, whereas the new amendment allows you to lock up a vulnerable child,” Jagori director Suneeta Dhar said.

In a panel discussion organised by Zubaan Publishers and Oxford bookstore on Monday, representatives from NGOs including HAQ, Jagori, Aangan among others said that the reaction generated after the December 16 and the Shakti Mills gangrapes had led to the proposed laws to decrease age of juvenility.

“This is a lock-up law just to lock up people,” said psychiatrist Achal Bhagat. UNICEF child protection chief Joachim Theis also added that the actual implementation of the current juvenile justice laws was lacking. “We are seeing the amendments in the law but the haven’t seen the implementation,” said Theis.

The proposed Bill was cleared by the cabinet, but is yet to be tabled before Parliament. New offences under which adults can be prosecuted such as corporal punishment, ragging and using a child for vending, peddling, carrying, supplying or smuggling any intoxicating liquor, narcotic drug or psychotropic substance and streamlining and strengthening measures for adoption, including providing statutory status to the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) have also been added to protect vulnerable children.