The Future Of Child Labourer

Today we met a boy on the streets of Chinchpokli in Mumbai. He was washing a bus. We saw that a man was standing next to him. I told that he was the child’s father. Before asking questions to child we took permission from him. After he said okay, we stared asking our questions. His name was Suresh*.He told us that he was fifteen years old but we doubted because he looked no more than ten or eleven years old. We asked “do you go to school?” He answered, “No.” But his father answered that he did not need to go to school. He said, “he will also become driver like me.” When we asked “don’t you think that study is important for him?” His father answered, “No.” He told us that what he is giving to the child is a talent which will help him to grow in future. Then we asked the child if he liked this job? He said, “Don’t know.” We asked him, “What do you mean by responsibility?” He answered, “taking care of my parents.”

We also asked our two general knowledge questions - who is prime minister of India? What are child rights and human rights? He was unable to answer. We asked him “what do you think, who is responsible for not answering our two general knowledge questions?” We saw fear in his eyes. He said, “Because I am not studying.” The child also don’t know that what he is doing will it help him in future  to become something. Today a child was not able to answer what he want become! The child was also not able to answer what is happening in his surroundings.

Does the boy really know what is responsibility? Is he ready for taking responsibility? Listening to answers what came to our  mind was why parents or guardian are running from their responsibility and passing their responsibility to others without thinking about their life and feelings.  

* name changed.

image source : http://www.visualphotos.com/photo/2x3536234/young_boy_washing_the_car_EDW04020.jpg