The curious case of Bengaluru boy facing harassment at foster home baffles activists
Bengaluru, April 12: Almost 10 years ago, Sunny P (name changed on request) was adopted by a Bengaluru couple from an orphanage in Puducherry. The childless couple brought Sunny, who was then just three years old, to the city and raised him with great care and affection.
However, Sunny's adoptive mother died four years ago. In 2015, his adoptive father got remarried. That was when the teenager's life took a U-turn. According to a complaint lodged at the Childline, Bengaluru, by one of Sunny's neighbours, the boy was physically abused by his new mother on a daily basis.
Childline
is
a
country-wide
NGO
which
helps
children
in
times
of
emergency,
through
its
toll
free
number
1098.
"After
we
received
the
complaint,
we
spoke
to
Sunny
over
phone.
He
narrated
his
harrowing
experience
to
us.
According
to
Sunny
his
father
is
a
good
man.
He
still
loves
Sunny
a
lot.
However,
his
new
mother
physically
abuses
him
on
a
daily
basis.
In
fact,
it
was
one
of
the
neighbours
who
informed
us
about
Sunny's
plight,"
says
Nagasimha
G
Rao,
nodal
coordinator
of
Childline,
Bengaluru.
Since
it
is
a
tricky
case,
Childline
is
adopting
a
wait
and
watch
policy,
instead
of
taking
any
immediate
step.
"It's
a
complex
case.
We
know
the
boy
is
facing
harassment
in
his
adoptive
house.
However,
we
can't
take
any
immediate
action.
We
are
closely
monitoring
the
situation.
We
are
planning
to
first
have
a
dialogue
with
the
adoptive
parents,
before
deciding
on
the
next
step,"
adds
Rao.
In order to protect the identity of the child, OneIndia is not revealing any detail about Sunny's foster parents. As per information available with the Childline, Sunny's adoptive father is a rich man and the family's house is located in a posh residential area of the city. Currently, Sunny is studying in a popular private school in Bengaluru.
The
activists,
working
in
the
field
of
child
rights,
say
they
are
facing
moral
dilemma,
as
Sunny's
case
is
unusual.
"Thus
we
can't
rescue
the
child
immediately
and
put
him
in
a
boy's
home,
run
by
the
government.
All
these
years,
Sunny
has
been
leading
a
normal
life
with
access
to
good
education.
He
is
a
bright
student
too.
Once
we
rescue
him,
we
have
to
put
him
in
the
custody
of
a
boy's
home.
It
will
hamper
his
education.
We
don't
want
that
to
happen
to
him,"
says
Nagamani,
another
member
of
Childline.
"Since we are closely observing the case, we are hoping to solve it soon," adds Nagamani.
Although there is no official statistics regarding the status of adopted children in the country, members of Childline say more than fifty percent of such children are abandoned by their adoptive parents.
"There are thousands of kids in several orphanages and children homes waiting to be adopted. There are also many childless couples who want to adopt children. The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) has come up with strict guidelines. However, they are flouted on a regular basis, as several illegal adoption centres have mushroomed across the country," says Nagamani.
Activists rue the fact that children with disabilities and older children never find a home. "Most of the prospective adoptive parents are very choosy. They never adopt disabled kids. They always want fair and beautiful kids. At times, shockingly, many couples want to adopt children belonging to their caste," laments a child rights activist.
OneIndia News