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Video shows Telangana woman rubbing chilli powder on son to punish him for ganja habit, Watch


Mangalore Today News Network

Telangana, April 05, 2022: A woman in Telangana rubbed chilli powder in her 15-year-old son’s eyes after tying him to a pole, upset with him for smoking ganja (cannabis). A video of the incident that occurred in Kodad town of Suryapet district in Telangana went viral on social media on Monday, April 4. The woman told the media that she was upset with her son for staying away from home for several days at once, avoiding school, and using ganja with his peers. In the video, the boy is seen tied to a pole on the street. The woman rubs chilli powder in his face as he screams and cries loudly, even as an onlooker suggests that she pour water over his face.

 

Telangana


According to reports, the woman untied her son after he promised to give up the habit of smoking ganja. The parents had reportedly persuaded him several times to stay away from the substance but failed to convince him. The appalling video has triggered varied reactions on social media, and while a few people applauded the mother, several others expressed concern over the damaging effects the incident can have on the young boy. Others pointed out that such harsh punishment is likely to be detrimental to the child, and that the boy could benefit from medical treatment for deaddiction.

 


Telangana-based child welfare activist Isidore Phillips said that physical violence in the name of discipline or punishment has been normalised. He said that while discipline is necessary, parents must explore positive ways to do it, without physical violence, emotional abuse, or threats. “Many people justify it by saying that being beaten as a child helped them. But research across the globe, across social contexts, says physical violence has a very damaging effect on the child’s personality, reducing their self-confidence and morale, making them indecisive, and giving them low self-esteem,” he said.

Cautioning against sensationalising the incident, he said that separating the mother’s intent, which may have been good, from the method, which is harmful, is important while talking about the incident, without justifying the violence.

While some people on social media have called for intervention from statutory child rights bodies or other authorities, Isidore Phillips, who is also the director of the child rights NGO Divya Disha, said, “It’s common for people to struggle with parenting. Many parents are unaware of how to deal with such situations because they haven’t had the opportunity to learn. The mother may require some support and counselling. The district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) could step in and see if the child or mother requires support. But any extreme measures like separating her from her child, unless warranted by other reasons, could end up disempowering the mother and traumatising the child further,” he said.


Courtesy: The News Minute