From the lines of today
If you are above 18-19 years in age, you must remember there used
to be a movie 'Muqaddar ka Sikandar' in Bollywood and a popular one
starring Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha with one of the best songs of times.
If you have seen this, you must have got an idea about where I am
going with this.
I completely agree with the fact that education should be a
birthright to everyone. In fact I strongly support it. But it does
not change the fact that there are millions of homeless children. Leave
homeless, let's come to hungry. Imagine an adolescent boy say 16 yrs of age
with a younger sibling of an age say 10yrs. The boy like any other loves his
sibling the most in the world. Irrespective of the fact that they have parents
or not, if the younger one is hungry, do you think its wrong for the boy to
want to do anything he can to feed his sibling? What do you think is better :
they both sleep hungry or the elder one can earn to atleast save the future of
the younger one.
There is a whole another big aspect if the child is a girl, but
she probably is doomed in all the options there are. She is not safe anywhere
so may be we will talk about that some other time.
Or do you think begging for money on signals is way better, or if
they become a pocket thief, or may be collecting plastic and metal from trash
is better? Because they have to eat, you know. If you don't let them work for
say a better job like being a waiter, either they will consider these really
bad options or they will die of hunger.
Someone might raise a point that there are homes for homeless but
we all know how good they are. We all saw that news of a homeless shelter on
Punjab which was actually just a way of earning money by making the kids do
wrong things. I am not saying that everyone can be the Amitabh of 'Muqaddar ka
Sikander' but till the time its not harmful (harmful like working in a chemical
factory), the child is not underpaid and he/she is mature enough then I think
the better thing to do would be to take care of the above two things of being
harmful and underpayment.
May be their pride will automatically make them good citizens.
Also, we can have some NGOs, like the ones for women, which can meet a group of
such kids from time to time and talk to them about all this stuff. I really
have not thought this solution through but I hope you understand what I am
trying to say here even if you do not agree with me.
Please understand that I am not supporting or justifying child labour! No!!! Childhood should be a nice and educative memory to everyone and it should be everyone's birthright. My point is that due to the hell lot of corruption we have in this country, the policies might not help anyone and it would take some time for NGOs to reach to every child. Meanwhile, all I am saying is working and being self dependent is a lot better than begging or stealing!
Dear Sneha,
ReplyDeleteIt is logical that children, or rather, adolescents who belong to an economically stunted background, would want to fend for themselves, or as you said, for a younger sibling just so that they can get their meals. Perhaps they might also be capable of supporting the family by earning from a so-called menial job, which is anyday more graceful than begging.
But when you look at it from a different perspective, there is a very good chance that these 'adolescents' would then be trapped forever in such a life if they go down this path. It is a different story if they pursue their education simultaneously during the day and work, for instance, as waiters during the night to earn their daily wages and support their families. For otherwise, they would perhaps be content with the minimum wages they can gather for their basic needs while they spend their days living in a shack, never aware of how far ahead education can propel them into the society if taken seriously. They will perhaps never be able to set their dreams high, and expect similar sacrifices from their progeny. Owing to their lack of knowledge and education, they will be cheated and exploited, and will be made to work too hard for a paltry sum of money they would get in return.
It is the role of the parents to ensure their children are not dragged into such a life, an at least have access to basic education that would prevent them from being gullible and equip them to survive in this brutal, self-centered world to do the least. The least a parent can do is to provide his child a meal, even if that means toiling hard in the sun as a hired hand for a livelihood. For education, the child can go to one of the free schools established by the government at the primary level. I know such schools might not be available in each corner of the country, or resources may be limited. But it is then ordinary citizens like you and me who can provide a helping hand by donating books and teaching such children in their free time. And who knows, one of these children could some day grow up into another Einstein or Kalam, and pull their families out from the gloom of slums into the glory of their extraordinary achievements that would serve as an inspiration for the desperate poor adolescent who wants to make a difference.
I now rest my case, your honour !
Arnav, I completely understand your point and as I said its not that I like this...this is very sad and its not that people are providing a helping hand... But we know the fact that not every parent is able to provide meal to his child...the helping hands have not reached to every child and by the time they do... do u still not think my point is better?
DeleteThings are definitely getting better when you compare the current situation to say, five years back. People are taking this as a serious issue, except maybe in rural areas where children helping their parents in the field or in their daily work is a way of living. Nevertheless, there is greater awareness amongst the public in general against child labour as a social evil.
ReplyDeleteIt is true that every parent may not be able to provide his child with sufficient nutrition on a daily basis. But that doesn't imply it is the duty of the kids to bring income just because they have a pair of hands to work with. Do you not wonder if they would even be able to do so when their parents, who are much more capable, fail at the same thing. Isn't it the very reason children are pulled into slave trade at a tender age, wasting their precious childhood away from home, abused and exploited by their masters? You might argue this used to happen ages ago, but I am ashamed to tell you it is prevalent even today, in the famished villages of UP and Bihar where parents sell their children to rich families who make them work as servants for the rest of their lives. Even if they escape, there is no better place to go.
Childhood is a mold that shapes a person's character. It should be hardened with love and education; not spoiled with the chores of a materialistic life.
I believe this answers your question. If it doesn't, you should perhaps read my first argument once again.
What about a child who currently is in such a family which cannot provide him food and he is not yet in reach of any organisation that can help him!! what solution do u suggest for him??? What should he do?? Die of hunger??? That way their childhood would be precious won't it be?
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