Tumakuru: A Bengaluru-based forum of activists has lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) over a troubling incident in which a scheduled tribe boy was reportedly forced to clean human faeces at the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus stand in Koratagere, Tumakuru district. The complaint was filed via email, highlighting the incident as a gross violation of human rights.
The incident came to light through widespread media coverage, which reported that the young boy was compelled to clean a clogged public toilet at the bus stand. The activists emphasized the inhumane nature of the incident, pointing out the irony of such a case happening in a country like India, which aspires to stand among developed nations in the 21st century.
In response to the media reports, the KSRTC’s Tumakuru district unit quickly issued a statement clarifying their position. According to KSRTC, the cleaning of the Koratagere bus stand had been outsourced to Lakshmi Enterprises through a government-issued tender, and KSRTC was not directly responsible for the cleaning operations at the location. Despite the clarification, the KSRTC Tumakuru unit has continued to maintain that they have not engaged in any wrongdoing.
The activist forum, however, raised concerns over attempts by the district administration to downplay the incident. The activists allege that officials and influential individuals are working to cover up the case, dismissing it as if it never occurred. They insist that contractors assigned to the cleaning services of the KSRTC bus stand compelled a 10-year-old boy to undertake this unsanitary task, which they view as a flagrant violation of his rights.
H.M. Venkatesh of The Real Activists’ Forum and Kunigal Narasimhamurthy of the Bribe-Free Karnataka Nirmana Vedike made an appeal, urging the Human Rights Commission to investigate the case and bring the responsible parties to justice. Additionally, State Right to Information Forum’s H.S. Swamy has demanded accountability for those who assigned this task to the minor.
The activists are requesting that the HRC take immediate action to prevent influential officials and politicians from burying the case, stressing that punishment should be meted out to those responsible, without any influence from political or other pressures. The forum has called for transparency in the investigation and punishment for the officials and contractors involved in this alleged human rights violation.