“My parents used to send me to work every day. I had to do whatever my employee ordered me to do, like cleaning his car and his home. They used to scold me for every little mistake. But now I am studying in seventh standard. I want to become a teacher to teach the children who are forced to work as labourers,” said Harsha (name changed).
He was one of the rescued child labourers, who participated in the World Day Against Child Labour programme organised by the State government on Friday. The theme this year was: ‘No to Child Labour, Yes to Quality Education’.
Labour Minister P.T. Parameshwar Naik said Mangaluru, in coastal Karnataka, has become child-labour free and he expects other cities to follow suit.
Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy said those who employ children should be ostracised by society, since government programmes cannot work in isolation. The State government gave bags, books and school uniforms to rescued children, who have joined schools this year. Also, six rescued child labourers, who scored high marks in SSLC exam, were felicitated. Shabana Ajmer, an anti-child labour activist, was also felicitated.
