Justice Ranjan Gogoi launches Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi's book, expresses concern over sexual abuse of children

Supreme Court judge Ranjan Gogoi on Friday expressed concern over recent reports of sexual abuse of children across the country and said the justice delivery system in the country is begging for a complete overhaul. 

Speaking at the launch of Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi's book titled "Every Child Matters", Justice Gogoi said, "I cannot say if child sexual abuse has become any more rampant in the last few months than it earlier was because I believe if all cases of sexual abuse of children were to really get reported, we would be in for a mortifying shock."

"But at the least, the last few months have pressed us to see how urgent a need it is to have in place an effective deterrent regime," he said. 

Gogoi, who is next in line to become tne Chief Justice of India, said a small "tweak here and a tweak there" is not enough and the justice delivery system is begging for a complete overhaul. 

"A tweak here and a tweak there in the law to pacify the agitated mood is just to sop justice. And then there are the harrowing long-drawn battles in the court. It is no secret that the justice delivery system is begging for a complete overhaul. But, when will it come is anybody's guess," Justice Gogoi said.

Speaking on the occasion, Satyarthi said,  “Every child matters and every word matters, if we want to live with truth, justice, righteousness and peace. But today children are forced to lose their childhood and words are made shallow, due to the lack of humanity and compassion."

Satyarthi's book is a compilation of  his writing and interviews which highlight the continuing struggle to create safe childhood.

"I always try to use words which can ignite a spark of hope in the darkness of fear. I write when I am desperate to connect minds and souls for our children. My articles are the expression of urgency for action and they are reflections of my struggle," he said at the launch. 

Satyarthi said his Nobel Prize brought a lot of attention on the issue of protection of child rights. He was given the Nobel Peace Prize in  2014  which he shared with Pakistani child rights activist Malala Yousafzai.