The commission has described the practice as an evil done to women. The Supreme Court has also held it as a serious issue of violation of Right to Life, Dignity and Equality of women.
New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) sought a report from the Central Government and six states on “continued menace of Devadasi system in various temples, especially in southern part of India.” The NHRC said that it had taken an exception to a media report on this evil system.
The report cited by the NHRC stated that most of the victims come from the poor families of the SC/ST category. The report said, “In the process of making a girl Devadasi, she is married to the deity of any temple and she spends the rest of her life taking care of the priest and daily rituals of the temple.”
The commission noted: “Various laws have been enacted in the past to stop the malpractice of the Devadasi system but it is still prevailing… The apex court has also taken a stern stance in condemning the malpractice of dedicating young girls as Devadasis.”
The commission described the practice as an evil done to women by subjecting them to sexual exploitation and prostitution. The Supreme Court has also held it as a serious issue of violation of Right to Life, Dignity and Equality of women.
“Most of the victims of this malpractice are being subjected to sexual abuse. They are sexually exploited by men, impregnated, and left on their fate.” The panel said the Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh governments had declared the system illegal in 1982 and 1988, respectively.
