New Delhi: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Monday said that a robust mechanism has been developed so that crimes against children are not hidden and criminals are punished.
The apex child rights body's response came after NGO CRY in its report said that child rape cases soared by 96 per cent from 2016 to 2022 as improved public awareness led to a higher number of reported cases of sexual offenses against children, reported PTI.
Citing the report, Congress alleged that even children are not safe in the "anyay kaal" of the Narendra Modi government.
NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo reacted to Congress's statement, saying a robust mechanism has been developed now to tackle such offences, as per the PTI report.
"Over the years, NCRB has developed a computerized system for FIR, through which data from police stations across the country is being maintained in the report. The Government of India has set up a network of one stop centers across the country which is ensuring that FIRs are registered in cases," he said in a post on X.
The NCPCR chairperson also took a jibe at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi against whom a case was recently registered under the POCSO. "This data includes the POCSO case registered against your leader Rahul Gandhi for revealing the identity of the victim and the case of cruelty against children in the orphanage running in his house in Prayagraj", he said.
He further stated that by implementing the "Juvenile Justice Act 2015, the central government has provided necessary resources to the states for its implementation so that as per the provisions of the Act, Child Welfare Police Officer is appointed in every police station and a Special Child Police Unit is appointed in every district whose work is to look after the children."
Kanoongo said that the state and National Commissions across the country are also registering cases promptly due to which reporting has increased. "Now, crimes are not hidden and the criminals are punished," he added.
In a post on X in Hindi, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Even children of the country are not safe in the 'anyay kaal (period of injustice)' of the Modi government. In the last six years, cases of child rape have doubled by 96 per cent." The children are the future of the country, but in this "period of injustice" the children also need justice, Ramesh said.
"Today, every section of the country is suffering the brunt of the 'anyay kaal' of the last 10 years of the Modi government," he added, reported PTI.