It was just one of the week days when I was leaving for college and
down there in the street few boys had teamed up to play cricket. I felt all
joyous and was thinking of childhood days, when suddenly my eyes struck on a
boy around 14 years of age who was peeping out of the window pane and admiring
those boys playing cricket. Why was he just admiring them? Couldn’t he just
step out and play? Apparently not..! because at this tender age he had become a
‘chotu’ of someone’s house. He was required to do the household chores.
This is just one instance but there are thousands of such kids who
have lost their childhood and have to earn a living for themselves when they
should be studying, when they should be playing, when they should be dreaming,
when they should be colouring their future.
Child Labour, one of the heinous crimes but more than this it is
also an emotional abuse for these children. Not that there aren’t any laws made regarding it but the
lack of awareness in our society about these leads to its violation, These laws
should have protected and empowered these little souls but the story is
something else.
Statistics say that over half of the working children(54%) are in
agriculture, 15.5% in construction, 18% in household and rest are scattered in
other forms of employment.
Shocked..!! Yes, you should be. We, the youth of the country has an
immense potential within us to make a difference. I am sure, each one of us would
have a neighbour, a friend, an acquaintance or even at our own homes a little
soul working to earn a living. People open your blindfolds and look at these
children with some Love. Of all the things they need- love, someone to support
them and someone to raise a voice for them. You Can..!! Stop this
Exploitation..!! A little step is needed to do Wonders..!!
Pallavi Sood
Chandigarh
