Anti-Child Labour Campaign or A Debacle with Buds

It was in the month of October, this year, that the Government of India, with much fanfare, enacted the law of banning child labour, in this country. It was welcomed by one and all.

The United Nations Children's Fund, popularly known as UNICEF, while lending support to the government decision of banning child labour, had come out with its own anti-child labour campaign.

Eight year old Choonam Kumari alias Chuniya, from Northern Indian state of Bihar and hailing from a poor family, was the lucky one to have been chosen to feature in UNICEF's awareness campaign against child labour.

Later, Chuniya once again hit the news in the Indian press, but this time for wrong reason. She was found in the act of washing utensils near a roadside eatery, belonging to her father. Besides washing plates, she served food to walk in customers. Chuniya looking frail and lost, washing empty utensils on roadside was splashed all over the Indian newspapers.

The image depicting Chuniya, followed by the story of her poor plight, made a huge dent in the Indian government's campaign against child labour.UNICEF's Anupam Srivastav, Director ( Communications), Patna, clarifying his stand on the issue, said there was no monetary compensation made to Chuniya's family for using her photograph for anti-child labour campaign and nor she was their brand ambassador.

In India the outcome of globalisation has seen the mushrooming of huge shopping malls, multiplex cinemas halls and swanky restaurants in urban cites and rural towns. But still in the handloom embroidery industries, firecracker units, diamond polishing units and local restaurants, one can find large scale employment of child labourers and exploitation.

Shame to our Politicians who spend their money in foreign trips and conventions. Those craps are actually sucking us and wont stop untill they die.