*Representational image

Reacting to the Deputy Commissioner's decision to cancel the licence of seven children's homes run by Missionaries of Charity in Ranchi, Ranchi Arch Bishop Felisk Toppo has described it as a 'repressive measure against the Missionaries.'

Facts on official files show that the state social welfare department has accepted a proposal of the Ranchi Deputy Commissioner recommending cancellation of the licence of seven children's homes run by Missionaries of Charity.

"The cancellation is going to be made public by way of a notification soon", said a senior official.

The Ranchi DC had ordered a probe into the children's homes run by Missionaries of Charity. The district officials inspected the homes and recommended action as these homes did not follow the norms, the official said.

Two other institutions, Asha Sansthan and Kishori Niketan, have been given three months to improve their functioning.

As it is, there were seven children's homes. One had no building, another was not following the guidelines prescribed under the Juvenile Justice Act. The third home kept 43 children in two rooms and the address of another was found wrong. The fifth home's licence expired, while some discrepancies were detected in the other two homes, indicate official files.

The Missionaries of Charity came under the scanner after a controversy erupted in June over "selling" of four kids. A sister and an employee of the Missionaries of Charity were arrested on charges of selling the newborns to a childless couple.

On Friday, Arch Bishop Felisk Toppo in a statement had alleged that the state had 'adopted repressive measures' against the Missionaries in the name of investigating the NGOs. The state CID is investigating the funding of 88 NGOs.

Now the ruling BJP has rejected the Arch Bishop's charges. "The investigation is going on at the directive of the Union Home Ministry. The Missionaries should cooperate in the probe," said Pratul Sahdero, BJP's state unit spokesperson.

 

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