Kerala: Child labour in Nirmalananda Balabhavan
The kids are not even allowed to play or talk to each other
Alappuzha: The inmates of Nirmalananda Balabhavan run by the Sri Rama Krishna ashram in Kayamkulam are being forced to do child labour, according to a complaint filed with the Childline on Monday. As many as 27 inmates belonging to a tribal community in Palakkad have alleged mental and physical harassment by the hostel warden.
Sergio Fabian, the district co-ordinator of Childline, said that the case would be handed over to the Child Welfare Committee on Wednesday.
“The children in their complaint said that they were being fed with stale food and forced by the warden to work in nearby ho-uses. The children, all under the gae of 14 (class V and VI students), first revealed the matter to the school teachers and later filed a written complaint with the Childline.
The inmates said they had to clean up the kitchen and wash clothes in the ashram. They were not allowed to play and even talk to each other. The warden was forcing them to eat stale food and those who resisted him would be harassed mentally and physically.
“A team of eight inmates is tasked to do these jobs every day,” they said.
Meanwhile, the Sri Rama Krishna Mission management denied the allegations and said the complaint was fabricated. Swami Kaivalyananda, ashram administrator, said “I have not got any complaint from the children or the warden.”