5/Dec/2012 : Child right activist Narava Prakasa Rao on Wednesday condemned the conviction of Indian couple accused of mistreating their child in Norway and said that the government should intervene to reduce the punishment as it could affect the child’s future adversely.

Speaking to a reporter, Rao said: “The Indian government should intervene because the parents have been born in this country and therefore even though they have a citizenship in Norway but still the government must take a lead.

He also urged the Andhra Pradesh Government to involve itself and see that the punishment given to the parent should be reduced.

Rao added that the United Nation (UN) also promotes safeguarding the child, however in this case the parents must be left off with a warning as the child’s future is at stake.

“It is a fact that in this particular case, the child rights have been completely violated, of course knowingly or unknowingly by the parents itself. But in this case instead of stringent action like this punishment, a warning may be given and a fine may be levied on them,” said Rao.

Chandrashekhar Vallabhaneni and his wife Anupama were arrested by Norway’s police on November 26 over the issue of chiding their seven-year-old son, Sriram and they have been charged with ‘gross and repeated maltreatment’ of their child by threats, violence and other wrong doing, under Section 219 of Norwegian law.

Vallabhaneni has been given 18 months of imprisonment, while his wife Anupama has been sentenced to 15 months imprisonment.

The Indian government had earlier said that the couple’s conviction would put serious mental agony on their children. (ANI)