And they say child labor is illegal....

Son of a software engineer working with a MNC |Age -10 years| student of one of the top 5 schools in the city, studying in class 5^th.

He has branded clothes to wear; toys and sport items to share with his 5-year younger sister.

He is up to date with latest electronic gadgets. Enough food to eat and to left in the plate if he do not want to eat anymore.  

Different kind of health drinks, mineral water and so many other things he wants; he needed or he don’t, but he have.

More than his parent are worried about his future; they are worried what their child do not having.

The condition of child is the same. He is in the depression, he don’t have latest gadget, latest trend dress, he had not been to Papa Jones and KFC from so long time. Managing timings for dance class, cricket and other classes.

*****

But I am not a son of any software engineer or any other government/public/private job employee.

All say that my parents are there with the God.

But they couldn’t take me and my small sister with them, so we are here.

I don’t know about any of my relatives also.

No one is there to give us food or to make our bed to sleep.

I don’t have money to buy food and no one give us food without money.

I started working in a nearby dhaba. I use to clean the tables and utensils and in return gets money, food and a place for me and my sister to sleep in the silent nights.

Like earlier I don’t have to make my sister sleep on footpath with the dogs and puppies.

I want my sister to be with me always smiling. I want her not to suffer from hunger ever and wish her to go to school to get good education.

I save the money I earn, for my sister.

Everything was going fine...

14^th November| 6 pm

A group of people came to our dhaba. It was the group of journalist and social workers.

They were making videos and were taking snaps of our dhaba. Someone told they are making a documentary movie on us.

I saw those people talking to the owner of the dhaba, who looks sad and scared too.

“Sorry Chhotu, you can’t work here. You are too small to work. They (journalist and social worker group) gonna complaint against me for keeping you as a child labour...”

I pleaded-cried-requested, but I had to leave. I lost my job.

My eyes were full of tears; I couldn’t understand what has happened, what is happening and what will happen to me and my sister.

Only one thing was clear-I don’t have a job now-no work-no money-no food-no place to sleep. All dreams were vanished.

After ten days...

6pm near a mall

 I was with my sister on the footpath, begging to the people crossing to give some money or food to eat.

Everyone was ignoring us. However, I was not giving up.

From morning, I haven’t got anything to eat or single penny.

From past ten days, I was collecting the leftover food in the plate, thrown in the dustbin near the food stall for my sister and to cool down the starving fire of my stomach too.

The food stall vendor was kind enough to let me do so, as there was no theft to his profit ratio.

Meanwhile, a black Skoda stopped nearby. Around 4-5 people got down. All were so well dressed. I hoped to get at least to arrange dinner for my sister (couldn’t gave her even one time meal today).

“Sir, me and my younger sister are very hungry. From morning we didn’t had even a single grain. She will die sir, please give something to eat.”

Those people ignored me. I looked at my sister, tears rolled down. My sister was lying on the pavement; she was not able to open her eyes also.

I followed them. This time they abused me roughly. “Go away-this is their all time drama and a new story everytime. Just go away,” One of them shouted.

“Can’t they do some work to get some money in return, but the easiest job they find is begging and cheating other with their brilliant emotional stories.

They work in a hidden big organisation, having all sorts of facilities; we should find out, this will be rally big news.”

And they went inside holding the hand of their small son and daughters with their beautiful, groomed wives.

The guard of the building bowed before them as they entered.

These were the same journalist and social workers.

They don’t want us to work with dignity and peace. They don’t want us to beg outside, as well, they don’t want to give us food or any basic amenities..Necessities to help us.

What the hell they want with our life. Only they want to use us a and our life to make stories and big time news to discuss over child beggary, child labour, poverty, over population, compulsory child education, responsibilities of the government, responsibilities of the people toward the nation and under privileged population...

...snatching our job, keeping us hungry, making us homeless...

I too want to study and play likes other children. Eating good food and give such life to my sister, as I have to bring her up as my daughter too.

No one else is there in my family to earn bread for us.

 No one give us a shelter to hide in the freezing winter and roasting hot summer weather.

There is no one to bring food for us daily, we too feel hunger.

We too are human, we are also kids. Our basic needs are like others. For other children, they have their parents and some lucky orphans have NGOs  with them..But for us, they all together protest if we work to earn one time bread for self and my small family.

They say, we need education.But I says, before education, we need food to eat and a place to hide myself and my family too.

No one like beggars.... I don’t like begging.

...But they say, “Working of the children is illegal....”

[ Here I am not favoring the Child Labor. But going against it and depriving them from the work will never solve the problem. 

We need to find out all the real causes, why the small children are being forced to work in such a tender age.

Need to understand their perspectives.
..why children work??

Provide them an alternative....

...and then say, child labor is illegal...
Please think on the other side too ]