Date:07/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/07/stories/2006050704221000.htm

National

NHRC seeks report on Budhia

Staff ReporterPTI

BHUBANESWAR: The controversy over the "exploitation" of Budhia Singh by his coach took a serious turn with the National Human Rights Commission seeking a report from the Orissa Government. Authorities have decided to medically examine him further.

Although Budhia was subjected to several medical tests on Friday, the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and caryotyping tests could not be conducted as the facility was not available in the Capital Hospital here. The experts who examined Budhia will submit their report to the Child Welfare Committee of Khurda district after the remaining tests are conducted in a private hospital in Cuttack.

Taking cognisance of the media reports on Budhia's 65 km run from Puri to Bhubaneswar, the NHRC on Friday observed that if the contents of various reports were true, "it raises the serious issue of violation of human rights of the child."

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told presspersons that Budhia was an extraordinary child, but his health condition needed to be monitored.

For Guinness: coach

PTI reports:

Brushing aside the whole controversy, Budhia's mentor Biranchi Das said on Saturday that if given the chance, the boy would run for a place in the Guinness Book of Records.

There were plans of Budhia visiting London shortly, where he was scheduled to run for about five km for a documentary shoot.

"We also want to interact with marathon runners there," Mr. Das told PTI. "The possibility of the boy trying for a place in the Guinness Book of Records will also be explored," he added.

Mr. Das, who is against the medical tests on Budhia, said if tests were required, they should have been conducted by independent agencies. "Budhia is absolutely fine. These tests are part of a conspiracy.