'Premises to be sealed': Delhi CMO assures stern action over playschool child assault

New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) In the wake of the alleged abuse of a three-year-old child at a play school in northeast Delhi, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta's office said on Monday that those found guilty shall face the strictest action under the law. 

In a message on X, the Chief Minister’s Office said: "The Delhi Government has taken serious cognisance of the deeply disturbing incident reported from a play school in Maujpur."

"On the directions of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the District Magistrate has initiated proceedings to seal the premises of the school. Police investigation is underway. Delhi Government will ensure that responsibility is fixed and those found guilty face the strictest action under law," it said.

The statement from the CMO came close to the opposition Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) attacking the ruling BJP and blaming the Chief Minister for the recent incidents, including the alleged sexual harassment of a three-year-old girl by a school van driver and the alleged rape of a 15-year-old girl in a bus travelling from Noida to Delhi.

Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Atishi told IANS that the girl’s rape in a moving bus was shameful. "The BJP cannot run away from its responsibility as the governments and police in both Delhi and Uttar Pradesh are controlled by it."

"I want to question the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. How long will girls and women continue to face violence and become victims of crimes?" she asked.

She said that despite being in power in the country for 12-13 years, the BJP has failed to check those who perpetrate crimes and violence against women and girls.

"The criminals have got emboldened. They know the police is not going to do anything. Even if they get arrested, they know they would get bail easily, or a settlement would be brokered," Atishi alleged.

AAP Delhi President Saurabh Bharadwaj also slammed the Delhi government over the crimes against women and girls.

"The Delhi government and Delhi Police try to suppress every case. A three-year-old girl was raped at her school in Janakpuri. The government was trying to suppress that case as well. The inquiry report against the school authorities has already been received, but Ashish Sood has not had an FIR registered against the school authorities yet."

--IANS

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