GUWAHATI, May 2 - Taking a suo motu cognizance on the issue of cutting the hair locks of 20 school students in Majuli, Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR) has today written to the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police of the district to take strict action against the school headmaster for violating child rights.
The State commission has also written to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) in this regard.
The Commission has taken action on the issue against the corporal punishment to the students, which is the violation of Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. Moreover, since the action involved school authorities, it is also a violation of the Section 17 of the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
Controversy erupted over the action taken by the headmaster of Auniati High School of Majuli for chopping the long locks of 20 students. The incident drew sharp reaction from all quarters as keeping the locks is a part of the Vaishnavaite tradition.
�Other than tradition, the action taken by the school authorities amounts to corporal punishment to the students. Such humiliating treatment traumatizes the students. If a haircut was required at all, the school should have written to the guardians,� Sunita Changkakoti, Chairperson of the ASCPCR told The Assam Tribune.
�Even if the teacher is transferred, such an act, done in public, is cruelty to the child and strict action should be taken to create awareness among all quarters against such practices,� she added.
