On going through a news report related to bringing
in a legislation amending Prohibition of Child Labour and Regulation Act 1986
in Tuesday’s ‘THE HINDU’, the govt’s reported decision to ban the children aged
below 14 years old from engaging in child labour in India, especially in any
form of industry, I was astounded by certain questions about which I shall
dwell upon later.
As per the terms of the Act ‘it will be an offence
to employ children from working not only in industries and factories but also
in farms and homes if their labour is meant to serve any commercial interest’
(THE HINDU dated 29/08/2012).
Provide free and compulsory education to children
below 14 is the ultimate goal of the proposed amendment to the Act.
The Bill according to Sample Survey Organisation’s report
would benefit 46 lakhs children across India and which would enable them to
join educational institutions. Good.
As per the to be amended Act children aged between
14-18 are categorized as ‘adolescents’ and they are banned from working in
industries like explosives, mines, paint companies and all kinds of factories.
Providing favourable circumstances to children join
educational institutions is a step in the right direction. Agree.
On thinking about the National Sample Survey’s
report of 46 lakh children who would benefit by the amended Act certain
questions naturally arose in my mind.
It is estimated that there are 78 million people across
India who are without roofs over their heads. How is it possible for the
parents to send their children to schools though the govt have blessed them with
free and compulsory education. What is actually meant by free education? Whether
they are exempted from paying fees only as per the decision of the govt of the
day? Or the will the govt of the day bear expenses to cater to their minimum
needs such as making provisions for nutritious food, school uniform expenses, the
expenses for purchasing text books and note books etc. No idea. Besides, the
homeless poor numbering about 78 million in India are mainly living along
street sides or in slums even while boasting about the increasing GDP by the
govt. It is the govt’s first and foremost duty to earmark necessary funds for building
homes for them. Even now the govt have not given serious thoughts to this
perennial problem even after more than 65 years of Independence. A long chain
of govts ruled India and all entered the corridors of power by canvassing votes,
promising false assurances to millions of poor people across India. With the
power of their votes they got elected and got the mandate to rule the country. They
promised the poor voters that they would alleviate the long-standing sufferings
and hardships of the hapless, helpless ones within a stipulated period that
could range from 100 days to one or two years. And after they get elected to
the prestigious positions with the valuable votes of the millions of poor, no
government worth its name, except doling out peanuts, did nothing worthwhile,
for example, building roofs for the roofless, providing jobs for the
unemployed, enabling each family to have a square meal at least once or twice a
day thus helping them to remain free from hunger and poverty, food security to
all, women empowerment, nutritious food for starving children – nothing of that
sort is given proper and timely attention.
Contrary to the promises and assurance given in
plenty to woo the poor, the politicians on getting elected to power, those who
live on the street sides by pitching tents with tin sheets and old clothes who
pull on each day in their slums are frequently forced to run away from their
temporary habitats in the name of cleansing and beautifying the city by the
authorities, how is it possible for these poor to send their children to school,
be it free and compulsory education. While making amendments to the Prohibition
of Child Labour and Regulation Act 1986, those who were behind preparing the
amendment might not have given thoughts to the root causes plaguing the country
even in the first half of 21st century.
It is further estimated that over 11 million street
children are pulling on in our country. Among them about 90% know not the
whereabouts of their parents even. During day time they wander through the city
like free birds, do any kind of menial jobs like washing plates in hotels and
flats or by sweeping floors, do the most heinous jobs like manual scavenging,
pick-pocketing the commuters of local trains. And these children are addicted
to cheap narcotics, even sucking varnish to get kicks, subjecting themselves to
sexual abuses by paedophiles and get satisfied with even a penny or two thrown
to them after temporary gratification by these perverted people, I am at a loss
to know how these children are brought into the mainstream and impart them free
and compulsory education. Those who visit any of the cosmopolitan cities and
camp there for at least a week and making a merry go round can very well witness
such children wandering through the streets wearing ragged, muddy and torn
trousers with full of dirt on their bodies and I am sure such sights will force
you to close your eyes in sorrow, agony and shame. What is the future of these
children? With nobody willing to take care of them they grow under miserable circumstances
and a few among them contract fatal diseases like TB, diarrhea, cholera, fever
and succumb to these diseases. Those who survive the vicissitudes of life in
the early stages of youth evolve into pucca criminals, pimps, dadas, seasoned
pickpockets, even become part and parcel of the underworld and get killed
sometimes by the underworld dons. During Independence day eve, Republic day eve
or any such events of national importance we can very well hear the rulers
proclaiming standing on huge podiums, ‘cheerful and shameless’ stories of our
country’s enormous growth in the comity of nations and also can hear the oft-repeated
motto – ‘today’s children are tomorrow’s rulers of our country’ or such hollow
speeches from the mouths of these ‘esteemed’ rulers.
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