The apex child rights body NCPCR has asked all state police chiefs to ensure that children are not misused by anyone for any unlawful activity like stone pelting and other violent acts during protests, including those against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairman Priyank Kanoongo has given the direction in a communication sent to the director generals of police of all states.
"It has come to the Commission's notice that certain group of protesters are involving children in unlawful activities like stone pelting and other violent acts during the protests," he said.
"NCPCR, being the statutory body for protection of child rights, recommends to your good office to look into such matters of serious concerns involving misuse of children and take appropriate action in the best interest of the children," Kanoonga said.
As the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was cleared by Parliament and signed by President Ram Nath Kovind into an Act, violent protests broke out in various states with agitators engaging in pitched battles with the police, forcing the administration to impose curfew in several places.
The legislation has put the Northeast on boil as people fear that it may exacerbate the problem of illegal immigration.
According to the Act, people from Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who have come to India till December 31, 2014 from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, owing to their religious persecution there, will not be treated as illegal immigrants and will be given Indian citizenship.
Article 24 of the Constitution accords children a Fundamental Right against their exploitation by anyone.
The Article 24 says, "No child below the age of fourteen years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other hazardous employment.
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