Children’s Parliament held in city

Mysuru: In a unique programme aimed at addressing school issues, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), in association with the District Administration, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement (GRAAM) had organised a Children’s Parliament at ZP Hall here yesterday.

Although the event was not a ‘Parliament’ in its true sense, it was appropriately transformed into a State Cabinet, with elected students functioning as CM, Speaker and Ministers.

Soon as the event began, Roopa, a student of Udbur High School, was unanimously elected as the Speaker, following which the ‘House’ observed a one-minute silence on the ‘direction’ of Roopa as a mark of respect to late Siddaganga Mutt Seer Dr. Sri Shivakumara Swamiji, who passed away in January and CRPF Jawans martyred in the recent Pulwama attack.

The ‘House’ had ‘Ministers’ such as Education Minister, Finance Minister and Sports Minister with elected students donning the roles.

As the ‘Parliament’ went on, students from different schools came with a whole range of problems faced by them, which included lack of play grounds, lack of civic amenities and the like.

Yogitha of Udbur School functioned as the ‘Chief Minister’ while Lakshmi of Koorgalli School functioned as ‘Education Minister’ and a girl student from another school as Sports Minister.

After the children came up with problems related to their respective schools, the same were forwarded to concerned officials, who in turn gave clarifications or came up with solutions on the spot, while some other issues which are to be addressed by higher officials, were submitted to the DLSA, which in turn will forward them to the authorities concerned for redressal.

About 120 children from nine Government Schools of the district (nine Higher Primary and two High Schools) took part in this Children’s Parliament, which had only ‘Ministers’ and no Opposition members.

Earlier, Principal District and Sessions Court Judge S.K. Vantigodi inaugurated the programme by lighting the lamp.

ZP CEO K. Jyothi, speaking on the occasion, said that this event apart from educating the children on how to come up with their issues and discuss them in an appropriate manner, also aimed at sensitising the children on how to make senior members of their family vote in the elections without fail, with the Lok Sabha polls round the corner.

Pointing out that the Election Commission of India too is keen on involving teenaged children in awareness programmes on the importance of voting, she said that such programmes will be of great help in enhancing poll percentage, focussing on compulsory and moral voting.

Senior Civil Judge and DLSA Member-Secretary B.P. Devamaane presided.

GRAAM Executive Director R. Basavaraj delivered the keynote address. Additional DC Anuradha, ASP Sneha, DDPI Panduranga, Women and Child Welfare Deputy Director K. Padma, DHO Dr. B. Basavaraj, Taluk BEO Krishna, Senior Assistant Director of Horticulture Dinesh Kumar and other officials                    were present.