Four minor children belonging to sex workers of Andhra Pradesh have told the Delhi High Court that they do not want to return to their mothers. The children, all girls aged between six and ten years who are currently under the care of a Delhi-based NGO, made the submission before a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Deepa Sharma which was hearing the habeas corpus plea of the mothers.
The submission by the kids, that they were happy with the NGO and do not want to return to their mothers, was made when the bench asked them whether they wanted to go back to their mothers. The court was told that the minor girls do not want to goback as they like the life at the NGO where they get betterquality of education, nutrition and care.
Senior standing counsel for Delhi government Rahul Mehra told the bench that initially the mothers had allowed the NGO workers to take away the kids, but when the children did not want to go back, the habeas corpus plea was filed.
The court was also told that the school and home run by the NGO for such kids and others rescued from trafficking were being inspected and monitored by the Child Welfare Committee(CWC), before which progress reports of each child was being periodically filed. The bench, thereafter, asked the NGO to place before it the reports regarding the four girls which have been filed before the CWC, a Delhi government initiative.
With the direction, the court listed the matter forfurther hearing on November 9. The bench told the NGO to bring the children on that day. It also appreciated the work done by the NGO, which is run by some lawyers with their own funds, saying "these are spirited citizens who are doing a good job and they should be encouraged".