Despite all the claims of the governments, the condition of the children is not very good.

The shameful incident of a child being allegedly sold for four and a half lakhs soon after giving birth in Jharkhand has exposed the tragedy of a desensitized society. Where this incident can be seen as the insensitivity and cruelty of the mother, on the other hand, even in the nectar of independence, the perversion of the heinous mentality of human-trafficking can be considered as the failure of the government. The government should reconsider the laws related to children and arrangements should be made to stop such incidents of insensitivity towards children.

In Chatra of Jharkhand, the news of the child being sold for four and a half lakh rupees came, in that the mother got one lakh rupees. The remaining three and a half lakh rupees fell into the hands of middlemen or brokers. Since its information reached the police and timely action was also taken, the child was recovered and many accused were arrested. What is happening to the children in this country, no one could have imagined. The business of buying and selling them and making them beg, mutilation of their bodies, use of children in making dangerous fireworks, inhumane treatment with them, innocent children being sacrificed in the wake of tantra-mantra and their sexual exploitation. All this is happening with the future of the country. But when the government itself is not concerned about any class, then who will listen to the suffering of these innocent people? Where the number of children living in this plight is in crores in the country, the incidents of selling children as soon as they are born also raise many questions, while painting soot on the new society. Millions of children will be victims of malnutrition, millions of homeless, stumbling from door to door, away from the glare of modernity, illiterate and exploited. Incidents of child trafficking are often intertwined with layers of society, traditional beliefs, poverty and coercion, and criminal networks.

Even today, narrow and inhuman thinking regarding boy and girl is prevailing in the society, in this latest incident of Jharkhand, a couple already had three daughters. The couple needed a son, according to a belief driven by societal stereotypes. That is, three daughters were unimportant in his eyes that they could compensate for the son. So he bought her new born son from another woman through brokers who conducted such deals. That is, to compensate for the inferiority complex and frustration arising from the absence of a son in the mind, a person does not hesitate to adopt the wrong path on the basis of money. In addition, human trafficking gangs perpetrate the crime of child procreation through their touts in remote areas and especially among poverty-stricken people. In the poor areas of states like Jharkhand, Odisha, there are many people who have to go through a lot of struggle just to stay alive. Why doesn’t even the slightest light of the brightness of the economy visible on the surface of India becoming the world’s biggest economy reach them.

A few days ago, a similar sensational thing also came to the fore that in some villages situated on the banks of Narmada, daughters are given a living water samadhi immediately after birth. Incidents of surreptitious killing of daughters in the womb in the desire of sons are also common despite strict laws, but giving birth to a born daughter alive or buying someone’s child in the desire of a son tells new stories of cruelty. Is. But innocent children are not the only victims of superstitions. The greed of sages, mutual world and conspiracy for property also make them their prey. Instead of being insensitive towards children, an atmosphere full of affection, intimacy and trust should be created among them. Society should see its face. Why do we make small children victims of our perverted mentality and vile thinking? The tragic and ironic incident of Chatra has once again shown the growing insensitivity towards children. Today, if there is anyone in the worst condition in the country, then it is the innocent children who are also the future of this country. Today they don’t even know their present that what we are? The truth is that today no one thinks about these children. The main reason for this is that children do not make the vote bank of politicians. That’s why politicians have nothing to do with children.

It is not hidden from anyone that what is the condition of children in the country today. Children are an important link of any country, society, family. A heritage which is the biggest pillar of nation building. But perhaps all these are words of bookish languages, which one likes to read only in books. Call it the country’s irony or misfortune that today many unborn innocents start fighting for life and death as soon as they enter the mother’s womb. After taking birth, children are sold in this country or a large section of such children will be found begging at crossroads, railway stations, streets. The childhood of many children is spent working in hotels or washing dirty dishes or living in dungeons. It can even be said that his life is passing in darkness today.

The number of people who were involved in the sale and purchase of children is a blot on the face of the newly emerging India. Certainly, in this case, the mother’s affection and compassion are in the dock, but sometimes circumstances are also responsible for taking money in exchange for her own child. Otherwise it is not so easy for a mother to deal with her child. However, this is not the first case in which the incident of the child being sold by the mother has come to the fore. There are frequent reports from poor areas of many parts of the country including Jharkhand and Odisha, in which children are handed over to someone for just a few thousand rupees. Questions arise about the reasons behind child selling, who the buyers are, and why such bargaining usually succeeds as an organized activity. Why are such criminals not afraid of the law? Why even the strictness of government agencies is not working and such incidents are increasing continuously. Here the question is not of action, the question is why such distorted thinking is flourishing?

-Lalit Garg

(The author is a senior journalist and columnist)