11,000 girls missing in Chhattisgarh, claims Congress MP

A Congress member on Friday claimed in the Rajya Sabha that 11,000 girls were missing in Chhattisgarh, prompting Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien to tell the government to take up the issue with the state government.

Participating in a debate on a private members’ bill, Congress member Chhaya Verma said, “People are scared of sending girls to schools in Adivasi areas of Chhattisgarh.”

Giving examples of child abuse and rapes in tribal areas of the state and in children living in hostels, she said that 11,000 girls were missing in Chhattisgarh.

She was speaking on the bill moved by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy to amend the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012.

Taking cognizance of the matter, Kurien told Minister of State for Women and Child Development Krishna Raj to write to the Chhattisgarh government and take up the issue.

Kurien said that action should be taken and if such a hostel (where girls are raped) is there, it should be closed.