‘100-150 kids of CSWs out of schools after Ganga Jamuna closure’

Nagpur: Activists have expressed concern about the high rates of school dropout among children of commercial sex workers (CSWs) of red-light area Ganga Jamuna, who are facing tough times since the closure order issued by city police chief (CP) Amitesh Kumar in August 2021.
While Kumar’s order was implemented by then zonal DCP Lohit Matani and team, Lohit’s Good Samaritan wife, activist-advocate Manjeet Kaur Matani visited the red-light area on Sunday, stepping into the role of a counsellor.
Manjeet, who has earlier worked at the red-light area of Jalgaon, said CSWs were concerned about the future of their children, who have fallen out of schools due to various reasons, including an inability to pay fees.
“We have requested the residents of Ganga Jamuna to furnish the names and details of the students who had to discontinue their studies for any reason. It seems around 100-150 students from Ganga Jamuna had to drop out of their educational institutions,” said Manjeet, whose IPS husband Lohit had tried to offer alternative livelihood options to the CSWs, but had faced resistance at the place where sex work dates back to more than two centuries.
Manjeet, who was accompanied by social worker Nutan Rewatkar, said she intended to take up the issue of dropouts with the respective educational institutions to ensure the students are inducted back into the schools and colleges.
Manjeet said the latest Supreme Court (SC) order had upheld the dignity and extended protection to the human rights of the sex workers. “If the profession is not illegal and Supreme Court too is inclined to show its respect to the community, then sex workers cannot be denied livelihood,” she said.
The advocate added, “The police bandobast was essentially to curb the illegalities and to ensure no untoward incidents took place due to political wrangling. We will request the CP to review his order and allow basic livelihood to continue without the brothel system.”
Rewatkar, who had earlier extended support to sex workers, said police presence is required to curb illegal activities but they should not hinder livelihood. “We appeal to allow customers to visit houses of the sex workers, without allowing soliciting on roads and forceful entries into flesh trade of women of any age,” she said.