The little wonder gets support

From Zee News.

Slum-dwellers demonstrate on Budhia issue

Bhubaneswar, June 17: Over 300 slum-dwellers from Gautamnagar area of the city today staged a demonstration outside the residence of the chairman of Khurda District Child Welfare Committee protesting against its order for "forcible medical examination" of child marathon prodigy Budhia Singh. The residents of Gautamnagar slum burnt an effigy of CWC Chairman R S Mishra demanding his dismissal. A political outfit, Kalinga Sena, had also participated in the protest.

Reacting to the demonstration by slum dwellers, Mishra said,
"The committee had acted according to government procedures. I don`t want to comment on the subject as the matter is subjudice." On May 2 last, five-year-old Budhia hogged national limelight by running a distance of 65 kilometre from Puri to Bhubaneswar in seven hours. Even as athletes and doctors expressed concern over its impact on the health of the child prodigy, the CWC had constituted a four-member medical team to examine Budhia`s health. Sensing trouble, the CWC had also requisitioned a police team to bring the child, who lives in the Gautamnagar slum, to the capital hospital here on May 5. Subsequently, a war of words had broken out between Budhia`s coach and foster father Biranchi Das and Mallick. Based on the doctors` report, the women and child welfare department had moved Orissa High Court to restrain Budhia from running long distance.

Now the case was pending before the Orissa High Court, with Das insisting that "Budhia should be spared to do what he wants."

Bureau Report