Kailash Satyarthi and Malala Yousufzai are awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize for Peace for their fight and work for the rights of children suffering in India, Pakistan and other countries in the world under bondage, sweat labour , and other conditions of deprivation. Bachpan Bachao Andolan ,the NGO founded by Kailash Satyaethi , has so far saved more than 83,000 children from child labour, trafficking ,and bondage ,and arranged education for them. Malala after the fatal attack on her life by the Taliban has been popular not only in her state Pakistan, but all over the world for her campaign for education of girls. But Kailash Satyarthi has been known only in limited regions in India.
Recognition for Satyarthi's work was rewarded by US, Germany ,Italy and other countries . But in India he has been almost a persona non grata. Neither any state government nor the government of India considered his work any award. In other words, his work has not been to the liking of the power structure in India which pays lip service to abolition of child labour (which of course is legally prohibited ), but continues to exploit cheap child labour. Match industry, textile mills, garment industry, small scale production units, etc do utilise the labour of children without any feeling of guilt or fear of accountability to gain competitive advantage in the market. The notorious Sumangali Scheme promoted by many textile mills in Tamilnadu as a dowry earning scheme is a cruel bonded labour practice with the government officials not bothering to take any action and the politicians extending their support .
The way the corporate organizations and many politicians reacted to the prestigious Nobel Prize to Kailash Satyarthi has been MUTE or HOSTILE. One argument is that the award is to put a break on the Make in India measure and the general manufacturing sector's progress. Equating Hindu with Muslim as well as Indian with Pakistani by the Nobel Committee spokesperson while announcing the award has been interpreted as Award with Suspicios Motive. These reactions deserve to be thrown to the dustbin of human rights struggles.
Even the ubiquitous Padma Shri award was not given to Kailash Satyarthi by the self-styled great champions of the underprivileged, while the leaders of the previous ruling dispensation hurriedly awarded the Bharat Ratna to a sports person after amending the originally prescribed eligibility norms specified in the Indian Constitution by rushing to the stadium where the awardee was playing the farewell match. .
Whether the business sector likes it or not, and whether the political patrons of crony capitalism criticises it or not , the Nobel Prize has brought Child Rights before the media's essential attention for serious debates and also as a key political issue.
Recognition for Satyarthi's work was rewarded by US, Germany ,Italy and other countries . But in India he has been almost a persona non grata. Neither any state government nor the government of India considered his work any award. In other words, his work has not been to the liking of the power structure in India which pays lip service to abolition of child labour (which of course is legally prohibited ), but continues to exploit cheap child labour. Match industry, textile mills, garment industry, small scale production units, etc do utilise the labour of children without any feeling of guilt or fear of accountability to gain competitive advantage in the market. The notorious Sumangali Scheme promoted by many textile mills in Tamilnadu as a dowry earning scheme is a cruel bonded labour practice with the government officials not bothering to take any action and the politicians extending their support .
The way the corporate organizations and many politicians reacted to the prestigious Nobel Prize to Kailash Satyarthi has been MUTE or HOSTILE. One argument is that the award is to put a break on the Make in India measure and the general manufacturing sector's progress. Equating Hindu with Muslim as well as Indian with Pakistani by the Nobel Committee spokesperson while announcing the award has been interpreted as Award with Suspicios Motive. These reactions deserve to be thrown to the dustbin of human rights struggles.
Even the ubiquitous Padma Shri award was not given to Kailash Satyarthi by the self-styled great champions of the underprivileged, while the leaders of the previous ruling dispensation hurriedly awarded the Bharat Ratna to a sports person after amending the originally prescribed eligibility norms specified in the Indian Constitution by rushing to the stadium where the awardee was playing the farewell match. .
Whether the business sector likes it or not, and whether the political patrons of crony capitalism criticises it or not , the Nobel Prize has brought Child Rights before the media's essential attention for serious debates and also as a key political issue.
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