On a Deepavali day some years ago, I visited a close friend of mine to extend my greetings. As I entered his flat, I could see that the atmosphere was subdued. But Deepavali is a festival of celebration and splendour. My friend and his children were wearing new clothes and enjoying other kinds of entertainment, not the usual fireworks.
I was told that my friend and his family never used to enjoy bursting crackers. The reason, my friend said, was that in the cracker industry, those employed are almost children who toil round-the-clock for a pittance. “Do you know how many children fall sick while handling hazardous chemical substances and materials used to manufacture crackers, sparklers and other fireworks and how many of them lose their precious lives or get maimed in case of any fire accidents or other mishaps? They suffer from poverty, malnutrition and illiteracy.” I argued—vainly though—if everyone were to stop buying crackers, how then could that industry survive?
Wouldn’t the children engaged in it be deprived of even this paltry income? Quipped he, “Why spoil the education and future of children by encouraging a child labour intensive industry?” I asked, “How then could gullible children be helped out of this morass or hell?” He said that while as an individual he could not directly help children in that industry, he is ready to campaign against child labour and contribute liberally to organisations that are engaged in educating poor children, elimination of child abuse, and emancipation and empowerment of children. My friend is really doing his best in this regard. Thereupon, wisdom dawned on me and I then became a naysayer to fireworks thereafter.
Actually under the Constitution, every child is entitled to education. But alas, we see children doing petty and menial jobs in factories, brick kilns, matchbox and firework industries, restaurants and shops, and as domestic servants to eke out a livelihood and support their families.
Parents must not use the smokescreen of sanctity of family to hide certain ugly realities perpetrated by them against their own children because of poverty and the need for income to the family. They should realise that children are an asset to them and the society. The need of the hour is to educate and empower children to grow into responsible adults and dutiful citizens of the country. Otherwise, it will be like placing ‘boulders on a bird’s head’! Let us think and do things differently!
Raghavan Sampath
Email: aarsampath.333@gmail.com