Cong walkout in Chhattisgarh Assy over missing kids

Raipur, Mar 12 (UNI) Opposition Congress members today staged a walkout in the Chhattisgarh Assembly alleging the government was ''not serious'' over stopping child-trafficking from tribal areas.

Mr Novil Kumar Verma (NCP), who raised the issue during Question Hour, pointed out several kids were missing from Sarguja and nearby districts. ''Many of them were taken to Delhi and were living in inhuman conditions,'' he added.

Home Minister Ramvichar Netam pointed out 24 children were reported missing in Sarguja district between July 2006 and January 2007. ''Among them, 20 have been located and efforts are on to trace the rest,'' he said, adding that a kid was held captive at a brick kiln in Uttar Pradesh.

When Mr Netam claimed a Delhi-based agency had taken these children to the national capital for providing jobs, the opposition sought to know whether such agencies required prior permission from the administration. They alleged that kids belonging to poor tribal families were being lured with the promise of employment.

Mr Ravindra Choubey (Cong) pointed out nominated Anglo-Indian MLA Rosilin Bekman had written to Chief Minister Raman Singh about the problem. However, the Minister said that he would have to verify before saying anything about it.

Mr Nandkumar Patel (Cong) sought to know from the Minister how many children were reported missing in February while Mr Verma asked what steps were being taken to prevent recurrence.

As Mr Netam sought time to find out the precise number of children who went missing last month, the opposition members remarked that the Home Minister was unaware of happenings in his home district Sarguja.

Later, Congress and NCP members staged a walkout.

UNI