Patna, Nov. 21: Unicef’s Bihar office is under the scanner for using the photograph of a 10-year-old Patna girl.

The chief minister has ordered an inquiry to find out if a case of forgery can be made out against Unicef for using the girl’s photograph apparently without her parents’ “consent” during its November 6-14 campaign against child labour.

The probe will be conducted by home secretary Afzal Amanullah.

The girl, Chunam Kumari alias Chuhiya, works at a dhaba on BC Road near the JD(U) party office.

Nitish Kumar has also asked welfare secretary Vijay Prakash to “find out ways” to rehabilitate the likes of Chunam. Bihar has around 2.3 million child labourers.

The controversy erupted after Unicef used Chunam’s photograph as its slogan-poster during its statewide campaign after enactment of the new legislation banning child labour.

The girl’s father, Baleshwar Das, a daily wage labourer, was surprised to find his daughter’s photograph on the Unicef poster. “I do not know when the photograph was taken,” he said. “We are poor people. If Unicef had to use the photograph for its campaign, it should have sought my permission.”

Das, who is illiterate, claimed the UN agency had not given him monetary help in lieu of the photograph.

The “poster girl” is, however, unaware of the controversy. Still at work at the dhaba, she said: “I have to work to support my family.”

Anupam Srivastava, a spokespersons for Unicef in Bihar, sought to downplay the controversy. “We have used a child’s photograph just for the campaign. She is not our brand ambassador,” he said.

Srivastava scoffed at the father’s claim that Unicef did not take his permission. “Das signed the consent form and agreed to have the photograph of her daughter printed on the poster for the campaign,” he said.

He said Unicef does not run any institution for rehabilitation. “But we are advocating Chunam’s rehabilitation through schooling and have asked the Bihar government to look into it.”

A welfare department official said the government had recently drawn up a list of 171 NGOs for child welfare. Children, weaned away from working at dhabas and homes, are being admitted in schools at Purnea, Jamui, Nalanda and Saharsa.

The government also plans to give scholarships to such children.