The
Asian Age, New Delhi
August 14, 1998
Bonded
Child Labourers Fast in City
New
Delhi: Thirteen
year-old Manju, who believes that "padhney se sab kuch hota
hai", has come to Delhi from Alwar to "meet the President."
Manju and all the 51 bonded child labourers sat on a day-long
fast outside Rajghat on Thursday to register their protest against
bonded child labour in the country.
Led
by Swami Agnivesh's Bandhua Mukti Morcha, the 51 children went
without food and water for the whole day because they "want to
study" and not play the bread winner of their families anymore.
These children symbolically represent the 6.5 crore bonded child
labourers in a country which is celebrating its Golden Jubilee
of Independence," said Swami Agnivesh. Citing Mahatma Gandhi's
wish that there be no slavery, in any form in free India, Swami
Agnivesh said that it was indeed "ironical that these children
were not allowed to go inside Rajghat to pay homage to the very
leader who dreamt of their freedom, because the Prime Minister
is to visit the samadhi on Independence Day for a few minutes.
With
placards reading "Ham ghulam hain aur desh azaad
(We are slaves while our nation is free)" and strongly-worded
slogans, voiced in angry, dissatisfied tones they fully displayed
their protest. They even have their families' support for this.
But
how far will these efforts go? Though Manju was "freed" on
December 10, 1996 by a Supreme Court order, she hasn't been able
to attend school, something she still dreams of doing, till date.
Though the court ordered Manju's employer to pay a compensation
of Rs. 20,000 to Manju besides an additional Rs. 5,000 to be provided
by the state government, Manju's family is still to see the money.
Even the meagre amount of Rs 300 which went towards supporting
her family of seven has stopped now. So what is to become of children
like Manju?
"This
is also an area which would be addressed by us. We are not only
demanding quick payments but are also demanding that the state
government make a fixed deposit in their names so that with the
help of that money the children are able to start their schooling,"
Swami Agnivesh explained.
The
charter of their demands include "enforcement of free and compulsory
education, the parents of child labourers be covered by National
Minimum Wage norms on par with government Class IV employees,"
and using mass communication agencies like Doordarshan and Akashwani
to spread awareness regarding wage laws and other such provisions
ensured by the Constitution, besides a few other demands.
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