You will surely get goose bumps when you go through the stories of beggar mafia and kids involved forcefully in beggary in our state. Humanity is finding its way out from humans. We humans are gradually becoming enemy of humans and humanity. Have a look at the terms: Beggar Mafia, Human Trafficking, Forced Marriages, Childlabor and many more such crimes and social evils which we can’t define in words. Why and how can a human behave like devil? In every religion, child is treated to be the shadow of God. But the reality of this cruel world on these kids or child beggars is depressing and shameful.
Mafia word is related to crimes like Smuggling, racketeering, trafficking in many ways, but when it came to children, its very difficult to think about them in terms of mafia. Now this industry has start growing in our state. Children from various parts of country like Rajasthan, Bihar, and Punjab are being forced to beg here. You too can observe this concern. Now our religious places, streets, footpaths can be the best examples to figure out this concern. How children of different age groups stretch their hands. These hands should have been holding a book. Why every time our system and we fail to do fair with this part of society? Why don’t we come and rescue them. We add more power to their network by paying them. Now Its not only children who suffer from this crime, but at the same time parents, relatives and society suffers from this ferocious crime. If we look at the statistics, we can’t believe that approx, 44000 kids go missing in India every year. But the real stats of disappearance of kids are much more which we can’t even imagine. After complaints, only one fourth of the kids were found and all others remain untraceable. Thousands of cases of kids’ abduction don’t even see the lights of laws and help.
Every child deserves a good education and healthy life, but the mafia of human trafficking and begging industry does not allow the child to enjoy his/her life. Not only this, they don’t even get full meals to eat, sometimes their day will be end up with beating and sometimes on fire. According to the report, a person or any child controlled by the Begging Mafia is beaten and tortured or have a part of the body crippled or disabled for lifetime to appeal to sympathy and pity from the people travelling on the road. This will help them get more and more alms. Authorities don’t have high profile intervention. Why are you going to awake?
Every one of us visits minimally 3-5 times from Amira Kadal in a week. The unfortunate part of misery is every one can see children there in pain and misery. But why do we wait for others to rescue them. Why don’t we find simile of our children on their faces. It would take you only some minutes to ask for their cause. How can we be so greedy? We can’t close our eyes like such. We need to stand for them. I would like to appeal our religious speakers that they should start educating people about this cause use your seat. We at a social level can do lot to bring back these children. May a mother get his child back. Humanity need to stand for this cause.
I think it has to happen at the policy level too Govt. should also initiate institutions to address this. Helpline should be started which can play a vital role to connect such children with authorities. Teams should be formed to see if there is something going like this at any place. They should make direct contact with such children if they require help.
Create awareness
Banning of begging is a positive step and will help counter the menace. Many people consider begging as a source to obtain money and a growing business. The physically handicapped beggars should be taken care of. Awareness sessions should be conducted. Strict rules should be enforced to prevent begging. The Government and charitable organizations should look after people who are aged and physically challenged.
Of late, begging has become part of an organized crime. Regarding J&K. The step should be taken by the State Government to ensure a beggar-free state.
Suhail Mehraj is UN youth assembly member, Child Right Activist and can be reached at Suhailmehraj3@gmail.com