Kids give charter of demands to Mausam

TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Malda: The last few days on the road have been hot and dusty, and Mausam Noor was looking tired on the last day of campaigning. Little did the Congress candidate from Malda North know that a refreshing experience was waiting for her as her convoy rolled into Baharal in Ratua on Tuesday for a last-minute bid to reach out to voters. At the nearby village of Kahala, a group of children — all in the 10-12 age group — were waiting for Mausam. Curiosity made her stop, though most of her poll managers didn’t see the point in spending time with those who hadn’t even reached voting age. It turned out to be time well spent. The group of kids had been brought to meet Mausam by Rajadighi Community Health Service Society, a local NGO. They handed over a charter of demands to Mausam, apart from speaking to her of their grievances. Children like Dalinur Khatun (12) of Kaligram and Prakash Munda (11) of Alampur didn’t ask for roads or electricity. They asked Mausam to ensure that the Child Labour Prohibition and Regulation Act was implemented strictly and requested her to abolish child labour up to 18 years. The 14-point charter included the comprehensive scheme for children rescued from child labour, ending all violence against children and ensuring their education. Visibly delighted to meet the ch i l d re n , Mausam got out of her car, held their hands and spoke to them. Tribal boy Kishan Munda (12), who hails from Old Malda, told her how a neighbourhood girl of his age had been married off. “I don’t know what to say. I’ll certainly remember you even if I lose the election,” Mausam said. Other children like Sarita and Prakash were busy calculating whose hands had Mausam held the longest. Shibesh Das, the member of Rajadighi Community Health Service Society who led the children, said, “Save the Children has taken up this project with partner NGOs to draw the attention of political parties to the issues affecting India future generations.”