Solving the problem of sexual exploitation of children not on politicians’ priority list: Independent Rajya Sabha MP

Worried over sexual exploitation of children in India, Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Friday bemoaned that the issue was not a priority for politicians.

The lawmaker said while efforts by individuals and the civil society were “well-meaning”, the menace has assumed a form that only an “institutional approach” can address.

He blamed “years of neglect” by various governments for this.

The independent Rajya Sabha member from Bangalore launched a National Action Plan against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (NAPCSEC) during a press conference in New Delhi.

“While we talk of girl education and development, the issue of girl safety and their exploitation has never been made part of the mainstream discussion,” Chandrasekhar said.

“The problem has been that we have not been institutionally organised,” he said.

Asked why he believed it hasn’t been made a political priority so far, the lawmaker replied, “I think there has been a basic reluctance to accept it as a major problem.” “But if we as a society come together and collectively make it an issue, the government will respond,” he said.

The NAPCSEC plan has proposed creation of a national child grid, on the lines of NATGRID, for timely action.

P M Nair, Chair-Professor at Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) …read more