BELAGAVI: The Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) has asked the police department to initiate action against some reporters for allegedly violating the rights of children during the coverage of the hijab controversy.
The president and the secretary of the commission have written a letter — which the TOI has accessed — to the director general-inspector general of police Praveen Sood citing several instances of violation that have come to their notice. The commission has also opined that this (coverage) is causing humiliation to schoolchildren wearing hijab.
Over the last fortnight, several videos showing minority community children were circulated in media, with many of them being shot by reporters from electronic media.
The commission said: “It has come to our knowledge that some reporters are filming the children while removing burqa and hijab in school campuses. Besides, some scribes are chasing the pupils to capture them on cameras.”
The commission has pointed out at a specific incident wherein a minority community girl, a student of a government school in Shivamogga, was chased by a reporter of a vernacular newschannel for a footage. However, she ran into the school to escape from media.
The commission has asked the top cop to trace the reporters who chased the girl and filmed several others while removing burqa. They also want police to launch a comprehensive probe and take appropriate action.
Action needs to be taken to avoid humiliation and trouble caused by media, the commission chiefs said, and asked Sood to identify sensitive areas in the state and step up security to protect the privacy and rights of children.
Syed Hafizullah, an education activist from Kalyana Karnataka region, hailed the commission for raising the issue in the interest of the children. “Hijab-wearing children are being targeted by media across the state. Children are portrayed as criminals, while in reality, their privacy is invaded,” he said. in the name of media coverage,” he said.
The president and the secretary of the commission have written a letter — which the TOI has accessed — to the director general-inspector general of police Praveen Sood citing several instances of violation that have come to their notice. The commission has also opined that this (coverage) is causing humiliation to schoolchildren wearing hijab.
Over the last fortnight, several videos showing minority community children were circulated in media, with many of them being shot by reporters from electronic media.
The commission said: “It has come to our knowledge that some reporters are filming the children while removing burqa and hijab in school campuses. Besides, some scribes are chasing the pupils to capture them on cameras.”
The commission has pointed out at a specific incident wherein a minority community girl, a student of a government school in Shivamogga, was chased by a reporter of a vernacular newschannel for a footage. However, she ran into the school to escape from media.
The commission has asked the top cop to trace the reporters who chased the girl and filmed several others while removing burqa. They also want police to launch a comprehensive probe and take appropriate action.
Action needs to be taken to avoid humiliation and trouble caused by media, the commission chiefs said, and asked Sood to identify sensitive areas in the state and step up security to protect the privacy and rights of children.
Syed Hafizullah, an education activist from Kalyana Karnataka region, hailed the commission for raising the issue in the interest of the children. “Hijab-wearing children are being targeted by media across the state. Children are portrayed as criminals, while in reality, their privacy is invaded,” he said. in the name of media coverage,” he said.
