Failing our children fails nation's soul: SC judge Surya Kant

HYDERABAD: Supreme Court judge Justice Surya Kant on Saturday said that failing to protect children from abuse is not just a personal tragedy, but a threat to the very soul and future of the nation.

"Each child we fail is not just a loss-it's a failure of the nation's guardianship," he said at the state-level stakeholders consultative meet 2025 in Hyderabad.The event, organised by the Telangana police's women safety wing, women and child welfare department, and the state legal services authority, focused on improving the child protection and rehabilitation framework.

Justice Surya Kant stressed that while punishing perpetrators is essential, true justice requires restoring confidence in the child and ensuring long-term rehabilitation.

Citing India's demographic reality - with 345 million children under 18 - he said, "This is our greatest asset. But it can become our greatest liability if we do not protect and nurture them."Referring to the POCSO Act, he called it robust and child-sensitive, but noted that implementation remains uneven. The judge highlighted how victims are often retraumatised by the very system meant to protect them. "A ten-year-old girl is made to recount her ordeal repeatedly-to teachers, counsellors, doctors, judges-until her voice fades into silence. That is not justice. That is compounded trauma," he said, calling for a 'fundamental shift' towards holistic care. Justice Surya Kant praised Telangana's Bharosa centres as a national model for integrated victim support, urging other states to replicate this approach to create an ecosystem where children feel safe and supported.Chief minister A Revanth Reddy pledged zero tolerance for child abusers and stronger systems to help survivors reclaim their childhood.