Musings: Bharat Yatra in Hyderabad

Musings: Bharat Yatra in Hyderabad

Bharat Yatra in Hyderabad

The Bharat Yatra a campaign initiated by the Nobel Laureate Shri Kailash Satyarthi against child sexual abuse and trafficking. This nationwide march has begun on 11th September 2017 from Kanyakumari and will conclude on 16th October in New Delhi with the sole aim to make India safe for children. The Bharat Yatra has now marched its way to the Pear city – Hyderabad on 21st September and I have been part of this Yatra today morning when the rally began from Mozamjahi Market.
 At Mozamjahi market children from several NGOs, activists and other dignitaries had gathered and the rally flagged off with the Hon’ble State Home Minister Shri Nayani Narsimha Murthy addressing the gathering and Ms. Amala Akenini the Telugu movie actress sharing her views on child sexual abuse and trafficking. Shouting slogans to condemn abuse against children we reached the exhibition grounds, Nampally where a huge dais was all set with seating arrangements; the large tent decorated with chandeliers and green carpets on the ground. The huge dais was filled with all the NGO partners; religious leaders from the interfaith forum; local politicians and Members of Parliament. Well....the politicians came later after the NGO heads had finished talking which was one minute per person. They all spoke about what their respective organization is doing for children and what they aim to do now after being part of the campaign. There were a few talks that struck a chord with me – one that of a NGO head – don’t remember the content but he spoke Hyderabadi Urdu while all others spoke the proper Hindi dialect despite being Hyderabadis ( as happens in most cases because most of us feel embarrassed talking the Hyderabadi dialect). Not this person though…he confidently spoke in Deccani Urdu/ Hindi and I was like, “yes man, way to go”. Apni zuban is apni zuban why bother about impressing others??? 

 The other speech was by the chairperson of MV Foundation – she said things that will definitely force us to pause and think about the underprivileged children.
 Roti; Kapda and Makan – these 3 basic essentials and child labour is involved in all of these 3. Shame on us, adults who cant and don’t do anything to put an end to child labour. A member of Parliament started off confidently but faltered when it came to using the word sexual abuse; he frankly told the audience that he wants to use the word harassment instead. Seriously!!! If it is so hard to just use the word then think of the lakhs of children who are sexually abused. Another MP spoke about people chanting every day for deliverance from evil from hundreds of years but still have not been delivered from evil simply because evil exists within our own selves and manifests in several forms one of which is child abuse. True indeed. Finally the Nobel Peace laureate spoke and addressed the gathering saying that as a Nobel Laureate it is his moral obligation to contribute to the betterment of children which through his foundation he is doing and has rescued many children from trafficking and sexual abuse. He spoke of some incidents he experienced in his work. The rapist in our country roams freely while the victim is confined to the house and forced to hide in guilt. Such is the mindset which must change, he said. There are several laws to protect children against all forms of abuse but implementation is poor and the conviction rate is low of abusers. 2 outstanding incidents he mentioned were of a girl who turned hysterical on hearing the word ‘school’ because she was abused while on her way to school; and another wherin a couple of children rescued from trafficking were discussing the amount they were sold for till finally one boy told them that the price of a buffalo in their state is much more than the price these children (girls and boys) were sold for. Meanwhile the Bill on anti trafficking is waiting to be passed, to see the light of the day, to bring to book the predators that crush innocent children and it may take years before it is passed. And while the bill waits and the parliamentarians debate, governments change, several children will be sexually abused; trafficked and silenced. This reminds me of what Gabriela Mistral, a Chilean poet, educator, and diplomat, also a Nobel Prize Laureate said about children, “Many things we need can wait. The child cannot. Now is the time his bones are being formed, her blood is being constituted, his brain is being developed. To her we cannot say tomorrow. His name is today.”

And I also mused...here is a Nobel laureate who has taken his moral duty so seriously and there is another one in Myanmar.......