Actor Aamir Khan on Monday called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Social Welfare Minister Mukul Wasnik, and highlighted the still-prevalent practice of manual scavenging in several parts of the country.
Speaking to reporters at the end of the half-hour meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence, he said Dr. Singh assured him that he would look into the issue on a priority basis.
The actor focussed on the subject in a recent episode of his television show, Satyamev Jayate, highlighting the plight of scavengers who are engaged in manually removing human excreta.
Mr. Khan said Mr. Wasnik, whom he met separately, had assured him that his Ministry was apprised of the problem, and was working on ways to put an end to the practice at the earliest.
No plan for politics
To a query, Mr. Khan, who has been taking up several societal issues in his TV show, ruled out any plan to join politics.
Keywords: Aamir Khan column, Satyameva Jayate, manual scavenging, dignity of labour, Aamir-Manmohan meet
Good intentions and empty talk or promises from any source is unlikely to change the life of our scavenger sisters and brothers. They must take their lives into their hands and reject the notion that they must live this way. They will have to create a choice for themselves. Can't rely on governments or others to do it. The current arrangement has been in place for hundreds of years with little change. We don't have Gandhiji around to give a morale boost to our weakest citizens.
The PM “assured him that he would look into the issue on a priority basis,” and the minister “was working on ways to put an end to the practice at the earliest.” Did they say they would end it by a specific date? Do the PM and the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment have a clue as to how to end manual scavenging? The first step is a massive promotion to convince people that they should use toilets. By the time the people are ready, builders and engineers should equip communities with working toilets. Once they are used, they should be cleaned, with the least usage of potable water and the excreta disposed safely without flushing them down the sewers into rivers that supply drinking water. Funds may be obtained by charging one rupee per every kilogram of rice, wheat, and other food grains sold. Current workers may be empowered to monitor the works.
I can see most of them are praising Aamir Khan. At the same time I can see a few like "Valmiki" criticising him.
@Valmiki: There are many ways of doing good. For someone to talk or debate about an issue it is not requried that he/she has to experience it or do it on their own. Request you to please stop being so pessimistic and a harsh critic just for the sake of it. If you want Aamir to do something rather than talking, then why dont YOU do something before posting comments here?
It is not necessary that everyone who wants to do good has to enter politics only. Good things can be done from outside too. That is what probabyl Aamir is trying to do.
Another politician in the making--after film career dwindling.
Talking about issues is very easy--just like the politicians do for a over six decades.
Telling a minister never solved any problem. Why don't you start working for the
scanvengers?
so our govt that is supposed to be for the "aam admi" will only take action if a bollywood actor tells him so? our politicians are so stupid and so blind that it has taken them 63 years to even publicly acknowledge that such a problem exists. shame on the PM to agree to look into this only during the second tenure as being the silent puppet of the UPA govt.
wow! what a prophetic pronouncement mr Prime Minister
almost 6 decades after manual scavenging was banned and well into
the 10th year of his prime ministership it has taken a aamir khan
and the social media to make our worthy PM realize what is
the governance his govt is offering this nation. may be he is deaf and
blind so let us take all the politicians thru those lanes where such
toilets exist and make him smell it., that is hoping their sense of
smell still functions after all the stink of all the scandals without
an end
we talk of all sorts of schemes of social development. why not proper sanitation and toilets for all. DRDO and SULABH have done yeoman
service in this field. oh blind king please open your eyes and take
steps to end this most inhuman and demeaning act.also pl tell how soon
is soon in your vocabulary. not another 60 years the nation hopes
Khan knows that can do more good if he continues to do politics from the outside.
Aamir Khan, a celebrity of film industry is highlighting social issues in his TV show" Satya Mev Jayate" good to bring awareness among the people of India . But I am surprised that PM of India met Aamir khan on the issue of manual scavenging still prevailing in India even after sixty two years of independence and government inadequate efforts to do away with this menace at the earliest. Khan discussed the matter with PM of India for half an hour as if PM himself is not aware of the problem. What kind of meeting it was and what was the need to meet Aamirkhan on this issue? Will this meeting solve the issue in question with immediate effect or it was just a meeting to give importance to the TV show?. The PMO should make it clear.
Every Indian we have to take some responsibility to make India heavan.
Words will not do; only way to stop this is to MAKE the Minister in Charge of the task to FORCIBLY DO JOB OF SCAVENGING HIMSELF for a full day once clear case is brought to notice! That way he will learn a lesson and take stringent steps to put an end to this !!!
Hats off to Amir.
No Commentes on his works.. He is the only citizen do something great.. Actualy india is great but indian people are not great..
Will hope something goodthing gonna happen from this kind of Big Guy.
Big Salute to Amir who is thinking Great. Our politicians making
millions and enjoying people's money but not thinking of this serious
issue. Please continue your action and get rid of this nasty job from
those who are forced to do this job to earn their daily meal. Thanks
Amir.
Hats off to you Aamir; you are a true son of our motherland! I have
seen your program "Satyameva Jayete" and it has brought tears in my
eyes.
Our country has enough to write a huge success story; if only people
started to think beyond narrow caste/creed/politics and thought and
worked for the nation as a whole. Each person is capable of doing his
role in this endeavor. One need not be rich or affluent or strong to
be able to do this. Having a pure, loving heart in itself goes a big
way into this end; it needs no money/status/opportunity, it just needs
one's will power.
Yes, together we can!
Jai Hind!
Magnificent work by Aamir kham. Atleast aamir is trying to change that things
on which we can only talk.It is a work that should be appreciated mostly by
our youngerster and minister. To look India into a new flame we have to move
on and take a step that bring revolution, more effective than quit India
movement.well done Aamir you are magnificent guy.
Hope a genuine cause behind this step.
Aamir Khan is the Star and real hero for the nation.
Actions speak what the man he is of. I Believe other celebrities too
have social concern and are gone come up in their own innovative ways
in helping society.The time is gone come soon where celebrities rather
then giving ads for their personal profits will turn towards social consciousnesses.
Coz the support given to one among them is so spell bounding....:)
To Amir Khan the Uniq.
A very good awakening article. In US, educating the public with civic sense starts from school. Like how to use toilets in public places in L.K.G level. Later within 5th grade, they talk about how the water distribution system, sewage works, how bridges are build..And the problems and maintenance of these are also discussed. They also know who their senators and governor of the state. And how to place complaints and train them to suggest how to improve the system. And of course the responsible officials respond. Even it was sent to wrong department, they make sure it is sent to right department and response comes with in 30 days. Public concerns from childhood level is answered!!
“We are happy that Aamir has brought this topic into the limelight" Are
you telling me that Mr. Mukul Wasnik has never traveled by train to get
anywhere..??One look at the public toilet facilities would have given
him all the information required. where did he think all that excreta
was going till now..?
okay manual scavanging should be banned,but our sewage design is so
horrible,to implement this you have to relay.
Hats off to you Aamir!! He is that one celebrity who is using his popularity for transforming the nation. You have the blessings of the entire country man. Keep going!! You rock! \m/ !~Satyamev Jayate~!
I am sad that in our country we need a Celebrity to raise the concern
of the public while the people designated and appointed to do such
jobs are failing.
1. It is the failure of the Electoral system and the entire democracy.
2. If the people in this country do their jobs, we do not need Aamir
Khan or any NGO to correct and do the right thing.
3. This calls for a change in the system to allow young people within
35 years of age to be appointed at an Authority to change the system.
4. If we want to see the change, we need young blood in the system.
5. We need people with mission to be appointed for right job.
6. Today we see people in election with huge bank balance and lot of
lime light to become their leaders for nothing. We need people who may
or may not have bank balance but some mission to do something for the
nation.
7. Its time for young and energetic leaders should come and win the
elections with mission.
Every one knows about manual scavenger happening in India but we need to create awareness about to remove so it is vital to encourage politician
to pay attention towards such type of manual scavengers in India.
In our constitution, every one has right equally to work then why such
manual scavenging happen. instead of manual scavenger, we can use
mechanical system to remove excreta. Lage raho Amir...........one day it
will happen because Satyameva jayate.....
Thank you Mr Khan for highlighting that 63 yrs after independence
Indians still have to earn a living, raise a family, by cleaning human
excreta, and half the population (?) forced to defecate in the open!!
May you continue with your efforts to inform & educate the citizens, spur some of them into action; and succeed in exerting some pressure on the greedy, exploitative and inhuman politicians to do something good for the nation - without first prioritising the public programmes based on their "plunder-ability rating"!
May you also be a role model for (i) the younger generation to wake up from their selfish apathy, sleepwalking into a bleak, unliveable India for themselves and their future generations (ii) other celebrities (who so far seem to use their influence to earn even more money selling junk food, alcoholic drinks, cement, mobile phones, etc) (iii) people from all communities that EVERYONE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE and contribute to the development of their country, if they try.
Remarkable young man -Aamir Khan- amidst the greedy and uncaring citizens and film personalities in India. Good luck to activism and hope the government takes positive steps to eradicate poverty generally and scavenging particularly.
Aamir Khan is in the right job to bring changes.
Well done Aamir.
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