Ban cellphone use by children: Renuka

New Delhi: As cellphones stir some government and parental unease over its safety for children, Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhary wants a total ban on use of mobiles by school kids.

Chowdhary feels children have no business to use mobile phones as it makes them vulnerable to the bad effects of the outside world.

"The HRD Ministry should write to schools about banning the use of mobile phones. I am an orthodox in such matters. The children have no business of using mobile phones," she said.

Chowdhary was speaking to reporters here today at the inauguration of the facilitation centre of the Women and Child Development Ministry.

Chowdhary said it was high time the society took to traditional ways of parenting and stop the kids from using modern day gadgets like mobile phones.

"Use of mobiles by school kids solves no purpose," she said.

The minister laughed away a suggestion that mobile phones helped in ensuring the safety of the school kids.

"What safety does a mobile phone ensures of a child. We can think of other measures to ensure safety of the kids. I appeal to all parents to stop giving mobile phones because it would help them only not us."

As Minister of 'Child' Development, she said, "I believe in child's overall development and I am against all such things which distracts a child's mind."