The Lost Childhood

Namrata Talukdar from Guwahati (Assam) slips into her shoes to voice out against child labour that is still prevalent in the society. She urges the readers to act and eradicate the social evil.

I don’t know if I am writing this in angst, shame or disgust but the issue matters to me as it might matter to most of you.

Child labour is something which has bugged me since my childhood. I have had some horrible experiences within my surrounding. I have seen a child serve tea to the guests of a family but could not utter a word and only had to bear the pain in silence. Just the other day my mother-in-law and I visited a nearby place where we met this lady who indulged in child labour. After my marriage, I moved to a new place and so everyone nowadays had a concern over me as to how do I manage everything alone. Yes, it was very new to me as I was a Guwahati-an all throughout my life. So my aunty enquired me if I was comfortable with the new environment. Before I could reply anything, she instantly turned towards my Maa and said, “may be a little girl could do the household chores and cheer her up “. Quite shocked I wondered in which century are we in where we talk about robotics. Is a little girl supposed to do that? My mind was in a whirlwind of my past experiences where I saw people keeping children in their home to provide basic comforts to their families.

How disgusting and shameful is that?

How can a wife let a 6-year-old boy serve tea to her better half? Is this the face of modern women who is posting against the cruelty of the society in social networking sites?!!!

My pen is flowing with the ink of tears and my tolerance is zero. This piece of mine is dedicated to each and every shameless person I have known in my life who uses and abuses a child. And some (like my own aunt) pretends to be called the benefactor of the child, whom they keep with themselves for self-comfort. The employer will promise the innocent soul with education and marriage which is never be bestowed upon them. It is everyone’s responsible call to raise a voice against child labour. Lastly, abhor and condemn anyone you see around you with a child as their domestic help and call the child care helpline.