Articles —> 01 — Children and Our Heartstrings
Whenever we see children in distress, begging on the roads, it immediately tugs at our heartstrings and we pull out our purse to hand out money. If we pause for a minute to look around the begging child, we are bound to see the following:
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- The child has an adult in some distance.
- The adult is gesturing and controlling this child
- The adult, when approached, refuses food or clothing and wants only money.
- The adult is not related to the child.
If the adult woman is holding a maimed sleeping child, surely it has been rented from a poor family on a per day basis. The child has been drugged and a dyed bandaid adorns it for sympathy.
The adults running the beggary mafia are well connected to politicians in some way. They bring in a certain pressure from political circles when the children are apprehended and plead never to send the child for begging again. But within a week, the child can be seen in some other area.
The best voices on these matters are people working in ChildLine. The first intervention to stop this kind of indecent exploitation of children is with the public, who need to be aware of these dangerous modes that cause havoc in lives. We can do other forms of support, to help children get education. While the Govt has several welfare programs including for those begging, the encouragement of the public is what is keeping them on the streets.
If by chance you come across such a mafia, please do call the police for immediate action. Children selling wares in signals is also a form of exploitation, not to be encouraged. In summary, let children who are presented by conniving adults as if in crisis, not be your object of pity, but of duty to ensure their safety and permanent rehabilitation. It is their right and our responsibility to make children have a productive, safe, happy childhood, especially if they are presented before us in some way.