Inmates of After Care Home, a facility meant for rehabilitation of girls above the age of 18 who were either abandoned by their parents or lost their families early in life, at Nirmal Chhaya Complex, west Delhi, have been forced to give away their cell phones on the orders of Delhi’s Social Welfare Minister Sandeep Kumar.
Mr. Kumar, who visited the home on May 25, ordered the staff to seize the mobile phones of all the inmates. The reason: “since the complex is located near the Tihar Jail, mobile phones can be misused and moreover the girls do not need them as they don’t have a family”.
When TheHindu visited After Care Home, which provides free boarding and lodging facility along with vocational training to its residents, the home Superintendent refused to allow entry or comment on the issue.
‘Please help us get
our phones back’
Waiting at the reception, the reporter managed to speak to some of the girls who said they are without a mobile phone since May 26.
They said they had written several times to the Superintendent to return their phones as many of them are working or studying.
“Please help us in getting our phones back. We are facing a lot of problem,” said Aarti (name changed), a 22-year-old, who is residing at the facility for three years and works as a beautician.
Speaking on behalf of Mr. Kumar, his assistant Shagun Tyagi said, “The law doesn’t permit them (the girls) to keep a phone and the shelter’s proximity to Tihar Jail and Nari Niketan has made us take this step. Moreover, many girls are studying so what is the need for a phone.” He added that a proposal is being worked out to allow the working women to use cell phones.
A 19-year-old resident at the facility claimed that Mr. Kumar ordered the staff to seize their phones as he suspected that the girls “were talking to their boyfriends”.
“He was angry that girls have phones and told us that we will get involved with boys,” she said.
At present, 37 girls are residing at After Care Home. The girls claimed that after their phones were taken away, about 10 working women left the facility.
“We all need a phone to communicate when we are applying for a job, or in case we are late, or in any emergency situation,” said an 18-year-old who recently applied for a computer course and was asked for her number by the institute.
The girls are allowed to go out of the facility from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm.
After his visit, Mr. Kumar had also suspended a welfare officer, as “allowing the girls to use a phone was against the rules”.
Interestingly, a file has been moved in the Social Welfare Department and senior officials have tired to convey to the Minister that the After Care Home “is not a jail and a phone is a basic right”. TheHindu has a copy of the documents.
Explaining the law, a senior government official said that the manual of the department was published in 1989 and hence, did not mention mobile phones.
Thereafter, the After Care Homes for boys/girls have been following Juvenile Justice Act 2009/2015.
“There is a provision for providing facilities and taking decisions in the best interest of the children and use of mobile phone is in the interest of their safety, education and well-being. The Act does not forbid the use of mobile phones,” he said.
‘Shocking incident’
Some women rights activists expressed shock over the incident and said it was a breach of right to freedom.
“In the name of protection and welfare, the government cannot take away their freedom,” said Kavita Krishnan, secretary, All India Progressive Women's Association.
Without mobile phones for over two months now, some girls are contemplating looking for a different facility or a women hostel.
“If we don’t get back our phones, the girls will start vacating the home,” said a 22-year-old, who works as a saleswoman in a nearby shop.
