Madhya Pradesh HC issues notices on PIL against prostitution in Bachhada community

INDORE: Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh high court on Friday issued notices to the women and child development department and police officers on a petition seeking abolition of prostitution, blatantly practiced by Bachhada community members in Ratlam, Mandsaur and Neemuch districts.
The division bench of Justice PK Jaiswal and Justice Virendra Singh, issued the notices to collectors and SPs of Ratlam, Neemuch and Mandsaur, state women and child development department and Ujjain divisional commissioner, among others, on the PIL filed by Akash Chouhan.
Chouhan alleged in the petition that over 1500 minor girls are forced into prostitution in 68 villages habituated by Bachhada community members in the area.
“The girls are forced into prostitution round the clock. If the customer arrives at odd hours, the girl is dragged out and presented to him. She is virtually raped,” he told TOI.
Prostitution is not considered as a base act among Bachhada community members. In fact it is promoted, said Chouhan, a member of the same community who has been working against the practice through his social organization, Nai Abha Samajik Samiti.
He alleged that several roadside dhabhas in Neemuch and Mandsaur districts have emerged as centres to pick up the girls and attract customers. They get a cut from the promoters, he added.
Akash alleged that of late, girls are abducted and sold to the Bachhada community members from different states. “During a police raid in 2011, around 70 girls from different states were rescued,” he said.
He pleaded before the court to issued directions to authorities, including police and administrative officers, to bring to an end the practice of prostitution among the community members. He also sought action against dhabha owners helping in prostitution.
Chouhan claimed that due to his attempts to weed out the practice in his community, he has been attacked in the past. He also sought directives from the court to provide him police protection.
The court has listed the hearing into the matter in four weeks.