Demanding an immediate end to human trafficking and child labour, thousands of people took out a rally in the city on Sunday evening.
Nearly 5,000 people, including members of NGOs, students from schools and colleges, participated in the rally to observe the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery marked by the United Nations.
They were carrying placards that said ‘Abolish Child Labour’, ‘Abolish Slavery’ and ‘Stop Human Trafficking’. They voiced their protest against crimes like child labour, bonded labour and sexual slavery.
Joseph, a member of the Anti-Human-Trafficking Network, said that sexual slavery is the worst form of human rights violation that is rampant in the city. “These violations are increasing because of the expanding population. Bangalore has become a capital of human trafficking in all its forms,” he said.
Blaming the increase in crimes on the population explosion, Sam, a participant, said that the increasing commercialisation in the city has also given rise to different kinds of bonded labour.
“Bangalore has a lot of migrants coming in and they are ready to take up any kind of job here. With so many people added to the city each day, there will also be a proportional increase in the number of perpetrators,” he said.
The participants submitted a memorandum to Governor Hans Raj Bharadwaj demanding him to address the human rights violations like human trafficking and sexual slavery. They also called on the Government to ensure that exploited sections have their basic rights.