‘No monitoring mechanism at ashramshalas’
Four more people have been arrested following the suspension of all the teaching and non-teaching employees of Nimbaji Kokre ashramshala in Buldhana district, for their alleged involvement in the rape of minor tribal girls of the school. Chairperson of Maharashtra State Commission for Women, Vijaya Rahatkar spoke with Chitra Sawant on the importance of having proper monitoring system in place to keep a check on such incidents and the need to run these ashramshalas as pure social activity. Excerpts from the interview: What are the mechanism to keep check on such unfortunate incidents from occurring in ashramshalas? Though we have proper policy in place for functioning of ashramshalas but they don’t have a monitoring mechanism in place, there have been reports of mismanagement in ashramshalas. The superintendent or warden appointed to take care of the children is supposed to reside permanently at the ashramshala and take responsibility for their safety. Though presence of a female war...