Now NGO calls for school bandh

Hyderabad: After political parties and student organisations, it is now the turn of voluntary organisations to call for ‘schools bandh’.

The AP Balala Hakkula Sangham, an NGO, which works for the protection of child rights, has called for a state-wide schools bandh on January 6 to protest against the sexual assault on minor children at an orphanage in Nalgonda recently.

Ironically, the NGO had earlier protested against frequent calls for school bandh given by political parties and student organisations, saying that it amounted to violation of child rights. The NGO now seems to be following in their footsteps to press their demands.

However, Sangham president M. Achyuta Rao justified the ‘bandh call’ claiming that there is a ‘difference’ in the bandh call given by them and that given by other organisations.

“We won’t enforce the bandh. We have only appealed to all schools to observe bandh voluntarily and express solidarity with the child victims in Nalgonda. Our aim is to bring pressure on the government and the officials to act against the culprits,” he said.

The Sangham demanded that the government provide free education to all the 11 child victims up to PG-level and pay compensation of Rs 2 lakh to each of the victims. It also demanded that the government provide admissions in Navodaya schools for these children without any entrance test, besides blacklisting the NGO that is running the orphanage.