NHRC recommends steps to check illegal trafficking of Muslim children to Saudi Arabia for begging during Haj

The National Human Rights Commission has urged the Central and West Bengal Governments to take steps to prevent the illegal trafficking of Indian Muslim children to Saudi Arabia for begging during the Haj Season.

Taking suo-motu cognizance of media reports, the Commission has asked the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of External affairs and the Government of West Bengal to take up “preventive measures” to check the child trafficking. It has recommended that the people from the vulnerable sections should be educated and made aware of the dangers of child trafficking especially that of the girl children. As majority of the children sent for begging to Saudi Arabia from India were from the border district of West Bengal, the Commission recommends that steps should be taken to stop influx of migrants from Bangladesh to West Bengal. The Commission also urged the Haj committee of India to scrutinize the pilgrims especially the disabled children. It recommended that individual passports should be issued in respect of every child instead of endorsing the name of the child on the passport of the escort. The Commission asked the immigration authorities at the International Air ports to interrogate every disabled child traveling to Saudi Arabia to ascertain whether the child is accompanied by his bonafide parent and is not a victim of illegal trafficking.

The problem came to the notice of the Commission through a press report that Muslim children, mostly handicapped and girls, were being sent to Saudi Arabia for begging for a period of six months on the payment of Rs. 15,000/- to Rs. 20,000/- and with the promise of a gold chain. They are generally accompanied by a relative or a pilgrim. Since 1997 and subsequently, the Saudi Arabian authorities have apprehended 223 children while begging in Jeddah / Makkah / Madina during the Haj session and deported them to India. In this regard 11 criminal cases were registered and 15 persons were arrested and charge sheeted. Although the reported incidents were dealt with, the Commission observed that it has, nonetheless, brought to light an evil, which continues to persist. The Commission has, therefore, decided that the larger issue needs to be addressed urgently especially at the time of Haj pilgrimage.