Kids participation in Swacha Bharat challenged in court

The Bombay high court has refused to entertain a public interest litigation which challenged a government circular sent to schools and colleges asking children to participate in Swacha Bharat Abhiyan, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sweep the streets of the country.

The Bombay high court has refused to entertain a public interest litigation which challenged a government circular sent to schools and colleges asking children to participate in Swacha Bharat Abhiyan, initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sweep the streets of the country.

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According to petitioner, M V Holamagi, a city-based lawyer, a circular had been issued asking the children to sweep the streets for seven days from November 14. He said this was illegal and not justified and was being done by political leaders to use children for their own interests.

A bench of Justice Anoop Mohota and Nitin Jamdar pulled up the petitioner yesterday for not enclosing the circular with the petition.

"You must come fully prepared to the court when the PIL is heard," said the Judges and asked the petitioner to locate the circular and attach a copy thereof to the PIL.

Since the circular is being challenged it would be in the fitness of things to go through this document before deciding whether it is illegal or not, said the Judges.

"I will try to get a copy of the circular by next week and move the court thereafter," Holamagi, told PTI here today.

The petitioner had prayed that pending the hearing and final disposal of the PIL, the court may declare the impugned circular, asking children to participate in the Swacha Bharat Abhiyan, as illegal and set aside the same.