ARENT THEY CUTE ENOUGH TO MELT YOUR HEART?

ARENT THEY CUTE ENOUGH TO MELT YOUR HEART?
by Gitali Borpatra Gohain

This is not just time pass, the reality around us. A large number of children are trafficked for begging. Children with disabilities are in the most vulnerable position. Poverty and physical disability are the ideal combination for children to be trafficked.

 Drugging children for begging.  After drugging the child, a beggar uses the sleeping child to evoke compassion and seek alms. Some poor parents who cannot feed their children earn money by renting out their children on a daily basis to these beggars. Many other children are being abused in a similar manner. It is also likely that several persons are involved in the exploitation of children in this manner.

Children are exploited for begging within as well as outside the country. There are newspaper reports as well as other data regarding trafficking of children to Saudi Arabia for begging during Haj. In 1997 a large number of Bangladeshi children were deported to India from Saudi Arabia where they had been taken under the pretext of visiting Mecca. They however remained in the country and were forced to beg from the pilgrims there. On this return to India, it was discovered that several of them had broken limbs. It was further reported that the traffickers were well organized and knows the supply market well. By sending the children to Mecca the agents ensured profits and did serve well to religious sentiments of the parents who have deep religious feeling felt happy and elated when their children got the chance to travel to Mecca for free.

Where is our country going?