New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of a complaint alleging that children were used during former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh's yatra and made to raise political slogans, and has directed the state's top officials to investigate and submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) within two weeks. The allegations are a complaint before the Commission, not established findings.

Source: Nation Press

A bench presided over by NHRC member Priyank Kanoongo issued notices on 22 October 2026 to Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary Ashok Barnwal and Director General of Police Kailash Makwana, and directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Secretary S. Krishnan to examine photographs and videos of the children circulated on social media, Nation Press reported. The action was initiated under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.

Source: Nation Press

What the complaint alleges

According to the complaint, videos and photographs shared on Facebook on 22 October allegedly showed children brought to the yatra after being offered money and made to raise political slogans. Inshorts, summarising an ANI report, said the NHRC directed the Chief Secretary and DGP to investigate and submit a report within 15 days.

Source: ANI via Inshorts

The NHRC said the allegations 'prima facie seem to be violations of the rights of the children' and specifically directed authorities to investigate the alleged monetary inducement, describing it as raising 'serious concerns' about whether children may have been induced or exploited for financial considerations, according to Nation Press.

The Chief Secretary and DGP have been asked to examine violations of applicable child-protection laws and take appropriate legal action. No response from Digvijaya Singh or the yatra organisers was included in the reports cited here.