Budhia moves to Orissa court against CWC ban

Budhia moves to Orissa court against CWC ban

By Sudhir Ranjan Das

Bhubaneswar, June 7: Child runner Budhia Singh on Thursday moved Orissa High Court challenging Khurda district Child Welfare Committee’s ban order on his long distance running and walk.

Speaking to this paper, Budhia's counsel B.P Tripathy said the boy and his coach Biranchi Das - through a revision filed before the court - had appealed the court to direct the CWC to refrain from putting hurdles before the wonder kid’s marathon races and walk.

“My client – represented by his foster father and coach Biranchi Das - has appealed to the high court to ask the state government and the CWC, a quasi-judicial body, to stop putting hurdles before him, the lawyer said, adding, obstacles created by the government body was preventing Budhia’s emergence as an athlete of promise.

Mr Tripathy described the CWC's ban on Budhia's long-distance walk which was scheduled to be held on Wednesday last as “arbitrary “ and said the body had never heard Budhia on if he wanted to participate in the walk.

“The CWC’s action is certainly clear violation of the right to the development, which is a constitutional right,” the counsel said.


The petition says the CWC had not taken any step for increasing the sports activities of Budhia. It contends that since the boy does not under the category of Child in Need of Protection and Care as per the Juvenile Justice Act, the government should not be possessive about the child runner.


“Budhia is a student of a public school here and well looked after by his foster parents. He is as good as any other child,” the petition mentions.
The state administration on Wednesday had foiled the five-year-old Budhia’s attempt to go on a 500-km distance walk – from Bhubaneswar to Kolkota. The CWC – after examining Budhia by a team of doctors – has imposed restrictions on his running and walk events. The doctors have warned that if Budhia is allowed to continue long distance running or walk, he will be subjected to cardiac problem. Besides, he may also suffer from renal failure.

Meanwhile, although the protest rally staged by Budhia Singh, his mother Sukanti Singh and their supporters entered the second day on Thursday, the state government did not respond to it.