KURNOOL: Asserting that his government is committed to end the menace of child labour and will make laws for the safety of children, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has warned that those employing children will be booked under the Preventive Detention (PD) Act and will be sent behind bars.
Participating in the Bharat Yatra themed ‘Safe Childhood-Safe India’ organised by Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi in Kurnool on Tuesday, Naidu said, “Children are gods. Parents must look after them and we all must encourage our children.’’
On the occasion, the Chief Minister praised Satyarthi for his determination as he dedicated 40 years to the cause of safety of children. “We need people like Satyarthi among us as so many atrocities are happening in the society now,” he added.Addressing the rally, predominantly attended by students, Kailash Satyarthi called for making “Telugu Talli safe to make India safe”. Stating that it is unfortunate to come across the incidents like child abuse and trafficking, Satyarthi said that he undertook the rally to sensitise public and eliminate the menace child abuse from the society.
Recalling that Naidu is the first leader to support his ‘Safe Childhood-Safe India’ campaign, which was initiated at Anantpur district of Andhra Pradesh on Monday and continued in Kurnool on Tuesday, Satyarthi said, “When I have announced Bharat Yatra in Delhi, Chief Minister Naidu was the first person to support the campaign with his tweet and many others followed. No Chief Minister marches on the streets for the cause of child rights in the history, not just in India, but in the entire world. Citizens of AP must be proud of their CM.’’
Stating that a lot of industrialists are coming forward to set up their units in the State, the Nobel laureate said that they must prioritise the safety of children and contribute to the cause through Corporate Social Responsibility. He also said that AP is leading in technology and therefore, more applications should be developed to address child abuse and trafficking.Satyarthi said to Naidu, “I have two appeals to make. First, not being a Nobel laureate, but as a person who is working for the cause of child safety for the last 40 years, I appeal to you that I want to work with the State government to make AP the first child abuse-free State in the country.
I can tell you this not just on behalf of the Kailash Satyarthi Foundation, but also on behalf of thousand other organisations working for the cause. We must make AP a child-friendly State. Secondly, there is a need for a comprehensive and holistic policy for education, healthcare and safety of children. Together with my organisation, you must lead in this respect.’
No Chief Minister marches on the streets for the cause of child rights in the history, not just in India, but in the entire world. Citizens of AP must be proud of their Chief Minister
Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Laureate
Children are gods. Parents must look after them and we all must encourage our children. We need people like Satyarthi among us as so many atrocities are happening in the society now
N Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister