The Viewspaper - The Boy from Bihar

Apr

Delhi may boast of world-class chain of food outlets like Mc Donald’s, Pizza Hut and Dominoes, available in every nook and corner of the city, but what really appeals to the taste buds of a typical Delhite is a plate of golgappa. This savoury is undoubtedly preferred over the burger any day. Roam around Delhi streets and you will find umpteen numbers of Agarwal, Bikaner and Mishthaan Sweet Houses selling Indian delicacies like chaat. All these sweet houses that have made our life in the capital spicy and worthwhile.

However, there is a twist in this tale. Can these international chains ever employ a ten-year-old as a cook-cum-dishwasher? NO! But an Aggarwal Sweet House can. Especially this sweet house on MB road in South Delhi. This shop boasts of a whole work force comprising of kids.

The kid who caught my eye, and I assure you that without knowing him, you would have really missed out on a real warrior. Let me introduce you to kid Pradip Mandal. All of ten years, he stands whole day in front of a kadai and occasional breaks come only when heaps of dishes get accumulated to be washed by him.

I didn’t realize the trauma this kid would be undergoing unless I spoke to him.

I suggest, you read on and too, like me, find out. It is painful to see the harsh reality behind the massive publicity campaigns carried out by the Government at various levels on child rights and prevention of their exploitation. Reality hits you hard in the face when you realize that the rosy picture painted by the Government barely exists in the world today..

VP: Will you talk to me?

Kid: What?

VP: I am from an online newspaper. We will publish it in our newspaper.

Kid: Ok… But please get permission from Sahab first. (Hinting towards his employer)

(His employer was laughing heartily when I enquired if I could interview the kid. His exact words were “yeh toh abhi Bihar se aaya hai iska kya interview loge?” it was clear by the employer’s reaction that he was not willing to let me interview the boy. He was very petrified of the fact that I could actually frame him under a case of child labour. However, with much efforts I convinced him that this was not my motive (I doubt it now, though).

VP: So what is your name?

Kid: Pradip Mandal

VP: What is your age?

Kid: 15

VP: Can we talk there? (Hinting towards a place quite away from his employer)

(Employer obviously frowning but kid escorted me happily)

VP: So what is your age? (He was not looking 15.)

Pradip: 15

VP: But you don’t look like 15.

Pradip: No, I am 15 only.

(The boy was clearly lying about his age, he was definitely much younger. However, he knew that if he disclosed his right age, he may be rendered jobless by his employer. And to think of the Government providing rehabilitation and education to the child labourers, has anybody ever seen it? I have not).

VP: Your employer said you are new

Pradip: No.I came here two months back.

VP: From Bihar?

Pradip: No I left Bihar three months back.

VP: Where you lived in Bihar?

Pradip: Dhaunkichatmin

VP: what is it?

Pradip: Its my village.

VP: Oh good. So it’s been three months in Delhi?

Pradip: Yes. One month I worked at a ‘chai ka thela’

VP: Where?

Pradip: At Chandni Chowk. My chacha has a thela there, I helped him. Then he sent me here.

VP: So do you like Delhi?

Pradip: Yes, a lot.

VP: Don’t you miss your village?

Pradip: Madamji, food is what I get here. I have spent days with empty stomach back home. So did my parents and other siblings.

VP: You have siblings, too?

Pradip: Yes, 5 of them.

VP: What do they do?

Pradip: Nobody is together anymore. I am the youngest. All work somewhere. Some in Delhi, some in Bihar.

VP: None of you ever went to school?

Pradip: No. My parents didn’t send me. I requested them to not send me here but they were right. I would have died back home, of hunger.

VP: How much do you earn?

Pradip: Rs. 1000 per month.

VP: Just Rs.1000?

Pradip: Madam, it is a lot. Sahab gives me food and clothes also.

VP: Don’t you think you deserve more? (Revolutionary in me rising)

Pradip: No madamji. He is like God to us.

(Poor child does not even know what he deserves)

VP: You live here alone?

Pradip: Yes.I sleep in this shop only.

VP: How many hours do you have to work?

Pradip: The shop closes at around 12 at night.

VP: Yes, but when does your work begin?

Pradip: I have to wake up by 6 in the morning.

Before I could ask him any more questions his employer came and sternly commanded him to get back to work. He went back. While his employer kept telling me how helpless this child was when he gave him work and how studies can’t help him, I kept wondering how to get this man booked against Child Labour Act for exploiting this poor child (and many others) in the name of providing him assistance…

Compiled by:

Monica Verma

(8 votes, average: 2.25 out of 5)

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Comments:

mahesh on April 5th, 2008 at 6:06 pm |

this section is getting better … monica u r doing a superb superb job .:))))

Rishabh Srivastava on April 5th, 2008 at 7:23 pm |

There is a larger child labour force in India than anywhere else in the world. Official Indian statistics put the total number of children working at 13 million. Our laws are neither child friendly nor child oriented. Here are few figures:
* Less than half of India’s children between the age of six and 14 go to school.
* Only 38 per cent of children below two years are immunised.
* Over 50 per cent children are malnourished.
* One out of every six girls does not live to see her 15th birthday.
* Of 12 million girls born, one million do not see their first birthday.
* Females are victimised far more than males in their childhood.
* 53 per cent of girls in the age group of five to nine years are illiterate.
* There are two million child commercial sex workers between the age of five and 15 years.
* 17 million children in India work out of compulsion, not out of choice.
Actually the problem is deep rooted and what we see is only one side of the coin. What will u do if u are in his position?
What this boy is saying is very true. If you will visit to his homeland then you will find each and every word of his very true. The government can announce scheme but if the scheme is not implemented properly then who is to be blamed? Bureaucrats.
This boy is doing whatever he can to make his living and is continuing a struggle in his life. Another point to mention is that are policies on this issue is flawed right from top to bottom. There are loopholes which government and bureaucrat always try to cover. Moreover there is no clear way of implementation of the rehab and education schemes for such children. The problem of child labour will continue as long as there is widening disparity between the rural and urban India. If you take action against the employer then it is possible that u are throwing the boy in more troubled waters. What else u will do if there is so much inflation. If you observe closely we have given salary hikes for working class and price rise for the poor class. The situation is getting grim.
Child labour is an unmitigated evil and any society that suffers from it should be grossly ashamed of that fact. Child labour, trafficking are symptoms, not the problem. The problem lies elsewhere and unless the problem itself is addressed, merely addressing the symptoms makes the situation immensely worse for the victim children. In India, children’s vulnerabilities and exposure to violations of their protection rights remains spread and multiple in nature. There are a wide range of issues that adversely impact on children in India, making them especially vulnerable.
The problem of child labour continues to pose a challenge before the nation. Government has been taking various pro-active measures to tackle this problem. However, considering the magnitude and extent of the problem and that it is essentially a socio-economic problem inextricably linked to poverty and illiteracy, it requires concerted efforts from all sections of the society to make a dent in the problem. ‘We’ can help them get educated and boost their confidence. But will we do it, that is much bigger question. Are we ready for such commitment. If each of us can bring some change in a child’s life we can surely do something about it constructively.

Ramona on April 6th, 2008 at 3:04 am |

Really nice….Totally admire the work ur doing….keep it up!!!

Neel on April 6th, 2008 at 12:40 pm |

great work monica , and the idea is amazing !!!!!!

amanjit khanna on April 6th, 2008 at 11:36 pm |

hey monica…great work.but is there any way in which we are helping these kids out..i mean yes we knew of the prevalant conditions..although this article is def more personal..but then you end thinking of the ways you can book this guy under the child labour act…can we do anyhting about it.as in take a step forward….

Monica on April 8th, 2008 at 9:48 pm |

yeah y nt sure.al u need is time for them.i wud suggest rthr joining some ngo or creating jus anthr org. stand up as an indiviual and help sombdy like this.go for ur frens rthr some ngo.

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