The Slumdogs Blog

Child labor in India is a grave human right issue. It is estimated that over 50 million children under the age of 14 are  working in many high risk industries like glass blowing units and fireworks units apart from construction, carpet making units and farming sector. Poverty and unemployment are the biggest factors that contribute to child labor and even though India has a slew of rules and constitutional amendments that guarantee education for kids, these have failed miserably to bring in any quality change in the plight of children.

It is shameful that the  latest episode of child labour came from nowhere other than the most prestigious Common Wealth Games venue at the capital city of Delhi, right under the nose of the political big wigs and human resource ministry! It is alleged  that the organizers have sourced low cost child labour in the construction activities of the stadium and the games village as they make last ditch attempt in saving the game. India  being chosen as the venue for  CWG is indeed a matter of pride and prestige for everyone and  now India has no other option but to deliver the promise  in the best possible way as the whole world is watching and scrutinizing every single move in the CWG game arena.

India has invited a fair share of brickbats for the inordinate delay in completing the facilities and  in using low quality equipments; the recent reports of child labour  will only make the whole CWG game scene more murkier making the going even tougher for the Indian administration. It has now emerged that the crumbled parts of the stadium were apparently built by children and even as the bosses try to complete the stadiums with only a few hours left for the deadline, the   the child labour scandal has caused new fury around the world.

Parents working on the sites were given extra bread and milk if they brought their children along to help out. The impoverished children and their parents are clearly being hood winked and taken for a ride by the political babus of Delhi. Kids as  young as three were drafted in to work on dangerous building sites for the XIXth Commonwealth Games, which has already reported many fatalities during construction including children. India cannot shirk away from the responsibility of eradicating child labour if it has to catch up with the rest of the world in the days ahead!