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Few
days back I watched one special program on NDTV
about Nithari’s mass murder. NDTV was of the
view that because victims were children of
migrant workers from other states who do not
have voting rights so they did not matter for
any political parties and that is why they had
no one to complain to when their kids were
missing. I was just wondering if NDTV has also
started behaving like political parities because
even they failed to raise this matter when kids
were being lured for work with better salary,
sexually abused and killed. Shame on such media!
Anyway because they linked it with migrant
worker and we all know that many Biharis have
migrated to NOIDA and work as household worker
and maid in that area.
As per the news reports accused used to lure
kids by offering them jobs as maid or household
worker for better salary. As a Bihari we must
educate our people not to send their kids to
work in somebody’s house as maid or house
keeper. One ‘Moninder Singh Pandher’ has been
caught but there are many ‘Moninder Singh
Pandher’ out there who are exploiting the
vulnerability of these poor kids of migrant
worker. Chances are very high that kids who are
being exploited are son and daughter of Bihari
migrant worker.
Many so called highly educated people who are
happy advising poor people to grow pumpkin on
the roof of their thatched hut in order to
remove their poverty forget that employing kids
of poor people for household work for what ever
salary and tips is illegal but unfortunately who
cares for law in India? Certainly not Moninders
of NOIDA. Four things come to my mind.
1. As a Migrant worker in other state, however
lowly your work may be but if you are caught in
trouble and think that local administration is
not listening to you then organise your people
in your native place, take their help. Remember
a strong tree not only has lot of leaves
(nothing wrong being a migrant) but also has
strong roots. Let your people raise the matter
where their vote matters. I have seen it working
many times.
2. As a concerned Bihari and in majority of
cases we ourselves being a migrant Bihari in
bigger cities without a voting rights we must
educate our poor Bihari migrant workers not to
send their children to look for household work
in the houses of Moninders of NOIDA, it is time
for kids to go to school and not to work.
3. Hiring kids for household work is to some
extent equivalent of becoming Moninders of NOIDA;
we must not emulate Moninders of NOIDA partially
or fully. Please don’t employ kids for household
works in all circumstances. Keeping kids for
household work is nothing but child abuse! Sorry
you are not helping them out of poverty, you are
abusing them.
4. Government must act firmly against those who
hire kids and underage for household work. How
about by starting the raid in the houses of
other Moninders of NOIDA? I know it is too much
to expect from governments run by corrupt
politicians.
Lastly I strongly feel that NDTV was trying to
subvert the debate in order to hide their
failure as part of the civil society by linking
it to migrant issue. First it was Khairlangi and
now it is Nithari, media is completely exposed.
Police failed, politicians failed so have media
failed in protecting lives of these poor kids.
Thanks God in both the cases it was common
people of India who came on street and forced
these media, police and politician ‘TRIKAAL’ to
take note of these gruesome murders. Had it not
been for coming UP election NDTV would not have
even bothered to link it with migrant workers?
Now here is something for you to think about.
Why it is that electronic media and English
media were so keen on hiding the news about
atrocities on Dalits in Khairlangi and
systematic abuse and brutal murder poor kids in
NOIDA where as they are happy fabricating news
about Dalit atrocities in Bihar? Does it make
commercial sense for them? I am not saying that
suffering of people from Bihar should not be
highlighted in media but when they start
fabricating bad news about Bihar we are forced
to ask why? Is it that these 24x7 media monster
have been feeding so many bad news about Bihar
to Moninders of NOIDA that they have addicted
them with this kind of news and now they have to
fabricate such news about Bihar while hiding the
true news of Khairlangi and Nithari until it
comes on their face like a bucket full of cow
dung to keep their TRP. In these circumstances
as a proud Bihari we have even stronger reasons
to stand firmly by victims of Khairlangi and
Nithari.
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Comments: |
First of all, many thanks for this
invaluable article. However, just
wanted to add (not to offend or
anything, but just a suggestion).
One line in the article state "Many
so called highly educated people who
are happy advising poor people to
grow pumpkin on the roof of their
thatched hut in order to remove
their poverty forget ....." does
mean to contradict other writer of
this forum. Every writer on this
forum is linked to Bihar with a good
intention and therefore their
articles are also meant to improve
the state in some way which may or
may not quite go along with
everyone. Writing is a wonderful
gift endeavored to us by god to
express our opinion, feelings or
ideas. Therefore we should be quite
cautious (even during an emotional
turmoil like these days where our
native state people are being
killed) otherwise there will be no
difference between 'Political
writing' and 'social writing'. I
again thank Mr. Sharma for the
article as it points out many
factors which should be considered
seriously to improve the situation
of Biharis outside the native state.
- Niraj, MD, Detroit, MI, USA -
Jan. 7, 2006
I am sad for the migrant labour in
Assam. Only Bihari people were
killed and voice raised was very
low. No political party is
aggressively protesting the
killings.
Congress is only behind vote bank
and concerned with reservation etc
and talking to ULFA like groups.
ULFA like group should not be given
this much attention. - Satya
Prakash, Mumbai, (originally from
Bihar) - Jan. 8, 2006 |
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