By TCN News,
New Delhi: Drawing attention to the alarming issue of child labour in India, E Ahamed, MP and president of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Wednesday said the Labour Ministry’s initiative regarding the passage of pending legislation to ban child labour for children under the age of 14 is commendable.
“While the Parliamentary Standing Committee has already cleared the bill, it is now given to understand that the bill has been referred back to the Ministry of Labour citing the hushed reason that child labour cannot be completely banned due to poverty. I urge upon the Government to take immediate action on this issue and must invest in imparting skill-based education to our youth,” Ahmad said in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour.
“Our Constitution and the Right to Education law guarantees free and compulsory education to all children between 6 and 14, as their right. As far as children between 15 to18 are concerned, the Juvenile Justice Act safeguards this age group from all kinds of abuse and exploitation,” he said.
However, the current child labour law is mute about treatment of these young adults, he added. Child labours are especially prevalent in rural areas. Children work for variety reasons, such as (a) Parental poverty which is the principal controlling factor. The poverty of parents in rural area is widespread. b) Landlessness contributes to poverty and poverty causes landlessness. c) A majority of parents send their children to work rather than to school at the school going age, primarily on the account of their need for a supplementary income, Ahmad pointed out.