NCW to probe 'auction' of girls on stamp paper in Rajasthan's Bhilwara

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The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Friday constituted a two-member fact-finding team to investigate reports of alleged "auctioning" of girls on stamp papers to settle disputes over loan repayments in the Bhilwara district of Rajasthan.

The NCW has taken cognizance of the reported crime which it said was "extremely appalling and traumatizing."

The Commission said that it has been reported that in many settlements of the village, girls are sold for prostitution on stamp paper.

"The National Commission for Women has come across several media posts wherein it has been reported that girls were auctioned off to settle disputes over loan repayments Bhilwara, Rajasthan. It has been further reported that in many settlements of the village, girls are sold for prostitution on stamp paper. In some cases, their mothers are subjected to rape on the diktats of caste panchayats for the settlement of disputes," the NCW said in a statement.

NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma has also written to Chief Secretary of Rajasthan to take urgent action in the matter and apprise the Commission of the action taken.

"The Commission has taken cognizance of the reported crime which is extremely appalling and traumatizing. The Commission has constituted a two-member Fact Finding Team to look into the matter. Chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to Chief Secretary, Government of Rajasthan to take urgent action in the matter and apprise the Commission of the action taken," the commission said.

The Commission has also written to the Director General of Police, Rajasthan to immediately invoke relevant provisions in the FIR and to arrest all the accused at the earliest.

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Meanwhile, Rajasthan State Commission for Women also took cognizance of media reports that minor girls in some districts of Rajasthan are sold on Stamp Paper and issued notice to the Director General of Police and Bhilwara Collector.

The State Commission also demanded immediate action and a factual report in seven days.

Rajasthan State Commission for Protection of Child Rights Chairperson Sangeeta Beniwal on Thursday condemned the Bhilwara incident and said that suo-moto cognizance was taken immediately.

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also served notice to the Government of Rajasthan on the reported auctioning of girls on stamp papers and the refusal thereof resulting in the rape of their mothers to settle disputes on the diktats of Caste Panchayats in the State.

However, Rajasthan minister Pratap Khachariyawas refuted the reports of selling of girls in the State.

"It is a matter of investigation. When such information comes out, we can't know the truth until there is a probe. NHRC should have spoken to the Rajasthan police first about this. Selling of girls doesn't happen in the state," said Khachariyawas.

According to reports carried in media on October 26 this year, caste panchayats in Rajasthan were committing this crime like in Syria and Iraq where girls are enslaved. Reportedly, in Bhilwada, whenever there is any dispute between the two parties, instead of going to the police, the caste panchayats are approached for a settlement. It becomes the starting point of making the girls slaves. It they fail to honour their commitments, there are orders for the mothers of the girls to be raped.

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