Raj Thackeray
Credit: PTI Photo
Nagpur: Expressing grave concerns over the steep rise in cases of ‘missing children’ in the state, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena founder-President Raj Thackeray has accused the Devendra Fadnavis-headed Maha Yuti government of treating the matter casually and failing to respond to it urgently.
In an open missive on X to Fadnavis, the Chief Minister and Home Minister, Thackeray quoted data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) pointing at almost an alarming 30 per cent increase in the number of children ‘missing’ in the state between 2021-2024.
When asked for his reactions, Fadnavis told reporters in Nagpur — where the winter session of Maharashtra legislature is underway — that he had not read the letter, but the issue raised is important and he would reply to it.
Fadnavis stated that the NCRB has also provided the reasons why the kids go ‘missing’, how they return and the period, ranging from 3 days to 18 months.
Dwelling on the sufficiency of the NCRB figures, he contended that they reflect only complaints formally registered by the police and thousands of cases may never be reported.
On the ‘rescue, return and reunion’ of such missing children, he pointed to the sheer psychological trauma they may have suffered and sought to know how such child-lifter networks continued to thrive openly and blatantly.
The MNS chief targeted what he claimed was the “state’s lack of proactive measures to identify and dismantle child-begging rackets” as many juveniles can be seen begging at railway stations, bus stands, traffic signals, often accompanied by adults with doubtful authenticity.
“If some woman claims to be the child’s relative or guardian, should the government not order a thorough probe? Is it inappropriate to consider even a DNA test in suspicious cases,” Thackeray demanded.
Slamming the ruling Maha Yuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, he lamented how both sides failed to prioritise such urgent social issues in the legislature where discussions centre around partisan sparring.