Ex-BJP leader appointed as Karnataka child rights panel chief

Highlights

• The government has appointed former BJP leader K Naganna Gowda as the chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR).

• Coming as it does after a delay of nearly two years, Gowda’s appointment has made child rights activists furious, dubbing this as a “political appointment”.

• The government appointed Gowda, a resident of Mandya, as the KSCPCR chairperson on October 21. He took charge on Tuesday.

• Activists and other applicants to the post said Gowda was associated with the BJP. Apparently, he was the BJP’s Mandya district president.  “The person appointed by the government to head the commission had contested elections as a BJP candidate. This clearly looks like a political appointment,” RTE activist B N Yogananda said.

• Nagasimha G Rao from Child Rights Trust pointed out that the KSCPCR chairperson must have expertise about Pocso Act, RTE Act and the Juvenile Justice Act. “We hope the appointment has been made in the best interest of children,” he said.

• “The one who got appointed should forget their background and work to protect the rights of the children.”

The KSCPCR chairperson’s post was vacant since December 2021.

Speaking to DH, Gowda said he visited Minto Hospital in Bengaluru as soon as he took charge to check the status of children hospitalised due to firecracker injuries.

Admitting that he was associated with a political party, Gowda said: “I do not have membership with any political party currently. I’ve also resigned from a nonprofit.”

Naganna said he was appointed considering the service he had rendered to protect child rights over the past 10 years.