A viral video of a 12-year-old boy suspected of delaying the announcement of summer school holidays in Kashmir has now reached the Child Welfare Committee, drawing comments from Kashmir’s chief priest, and answering questions about children’s presence on television.The video, which was widely shared online a few days ago, shows the child criticizing Jammu and Kashmir education minister Sakina Itoo for not announcing summer vacation even as the temperature in the Valley crosses 35 degrees Celsius. Speaking directly to the camera, the boy says that he feels that the minister “couldn’t be with the children who go to school” and that he “could be sitting in the AC room.”Summer vacation in schools in the Kashmir Valley is usually announced for two weeks in July and August, with the exact schedule depending on the prevailing weather.
The Committee on the Rights of the Child has ordered action
The State Committee on Child Welfare (CWC) has now intervened. According to the information provided by the group, the newspaper that released the video filmed and questioned the child without the consent of his parent or guardian. It also said that the filming was done without the knowledge or permission of the school authorities.The committee has ordered representatives of the media to appear before it. It has also asked the police to initiate action to remove the video from online platforms and register a First Information Report (FIR). According to the report, the portal has already submitted a written response to the committee.CWC Chairman Khair-ul-Nisa said he took suo motu notice after watching a video online.“I realized suo motu when I saw the video. At that time, I did not know who the child was, his parents or the school. The video had already gone viral,” he said. TNN reports.He said the committee later identified the child’s school through his uniform and ordered the principal to come on Saturday to verify the facts.Khair-ul-Nisa also said that she is worried about how the virus will affect the baby.“He may not even be able to go back to school because of the attention the video has received. Journalists should have done their best before posting the video,” he said.
Mirwaiz questions the exposure of children on social media
The controversy also came in response to a senior leader of Kashmir, Mirwaiz Umar Farooqwho described what the child said as “disrespectful” while complaining about young children being shown on social media.Speaking to people after Friday prayers at Jamia Mosque, Mirwaiz said people should think about whether children should be exposed in such ways.“The community needs to ask if young children should be seen in such ways and use what people can do without understanding the consequences,” he said. TNN.The video created a lot of attention on social media.Many users defended the boy’s comments as an example of freedom and said children should be encouraged to express their concerns. Others criticized the language used in the video, saying it was disrespectful and showed a lack of morals.As the debate continued, the Committee on the Rights of the Child issued new advice asking media organizations and the public not to interview, record or broadcast videos about children in ways that could affect their privacy, dignity, safety or well-being.