NHRC today expressed strong displeasure over reports that principals of certain central schools made attempts to identify parents who made a complaint in the commission about their children being allegedly forced to travel in unreserved train coaches by the authorities.
NHRC had on October 15 issued notices to Union Ministry of Human Resource Development and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan after it received complaints from parents alleging that several KV students, including girls between 10 to 18 years of age from across the country, faced a lot of inconvenience involving their safety when they were collected by KVS in New Delhi and were packed off "like cattle" in sleeper coaches without reservation from New Delhi to Ahmedabad to participate in a sports event held from October 13 to 18.
"Scared of punitive action against his wards, the complainant has requested the Commission to close the case," an NHRC statement said today.
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Taking cognisance of the reports, NHRC member Justice D Murugesan said that the Commission would view it very seriously if any punitive action is taken against any student or escorting teacher in the matter.
He has also asked the Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy, Union Ministry of Human Resource Development and Commissioner, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan to cause an enquiry in the matter and submit an action taken report within six weeks.
In the reports, submitted in response to the Commission's notices, the authorities have said that travel arrangements for more than 4,734 participants and escorting teachers were made and almost all of them traveled on confirmed tickets safely and comfortably.
"However, there was some contradiction in the reports of the KVS and the HRD Ministry on the number of travelers not having confirmed tickets," the statement said.
The Commission has also asked the authorities concerned to inform it on ten actionable points, including the copies of the relevant documents about the railway tickets, arrangement for food.
