How many of us see a child playing and laughing and wish for
our childhood to return? There definitely are many. The next question is how
many of us would see a child in pain and move forward to help? I am sure the
answer still is many. But what if the help required fighting against people of
power and we could help only so much? Wouldn't you still try?
“August 2012…
Woken in the wee hours of the morning, sleepy eyed and terrified,
she moves silently to take orders. There are strangers around, commanding and
punishing; there is no room for mistake. There is work to be done and this, is
only early morning.
Her day starts with helping the arrogant, spoilt child of
the house get ready for college. She is then summoned to the kitchen. Later, she
sweeps the driveway, does the dishes, washes clothes, and cleans the house
inside-out. Every single day.
This is Usha, domestic help to one of the giants of the
marble and granite industry in the country. This is Usha, a 6 year old child.
Late September 2012…
The day moves at its usual lethargic pace. The chores done
at Usha’s employers’ place are the same. Dusk replaces dawn and weeks replace
days. Only, there is no sign of Usha. A new help has arrived at the household,
a boy in his late teens.
What happened of Usha? Was she sent back to her parents, to
school? Why was she taken away that suddenly? No harm could have befallen her, those
people, though heartless are not cruel enough to hurt her. What caused this
change?
It was one phone call.”
There exist millions of such oppressed children in our
country, most of them in worse condition and to help them, a child helpline has
been set up. Unfortunately for Usha, this helpline was of no help. There might
be numerous cases throughout the country where the rescue team has turned up
and rescued children from their miserable fate. But where was it when it
received calls of complaint to help Usha?
Three weeks of continuous phone calls, complaints registered
afresh each time a call was made, all in vain. The promises though, were made in
plenty. The helpline assured that a team from the child welfare department would
investigate the matter thoroughly and take to task the ruthless employers of
Usha. There are two possible explanations for their inaction. First, the
helpline did not take the complaint seriously. Or, the more probable
explanation, the helpline team was under pressure not to act. Usha’s employer
is a retired Superintendent of Police. There is every possibility that a tip
off about the calls was made and hence they assured no action would be taken
against them.
What does this go to show? Does it mean people in power have
the right to snatch away the childhood of innocent children? How Usha came to work for them is only a
guess. For whatever reason she might have come, there came only misery out of
it! The innocence that childhood possesses, once lost cannot come back. And once
robbed, cannot be given back.
Usha was robbed of her innocence. No child of her age should
carry a garbage can twice her size. No child should be made to work under the
blazing sun while another child, way older, lazes around the house doing not
even her own work. Books, toys and parents’ love is all that a child of that
tender age desires.
She was moved out of the house she worked at, possibly to
another of their houses, far from the watchful eyes of concerned neighbours. What
fate has in store for Usha, fate alone knows. But the only regret is those who
could have helped give her the chance to lead a life of dignity showed no interest.
