The Hindu : New Delhi News : An unusual little `informer'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Apr 06, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

An unusual little `informer'

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, APRIL 5. An underprivileged child helping conduct raids in a true Central Bureau of Investigation way. Unthinkable! But then as they say "truth is stranger than fiction''. Sixteen-year-old Shaukat Ali not only goes on regular raids to homes where child labour is employed, but is also an informer. An active member of the South Asian Coalition for Child Servitude (SACS), he helps the non-government organisation in their raids by giving information about domestic child labour.

Originally a resident of Shooting Road opposite Batra Hospital in South Delhi, Shaukat is a member of SACS commonly referred to as the Bachpan Bachao Aandolan (BBA). He lives at their Mukti Ashram where he is learning tailoring, welding, motor binding and screen-printing besides attending regular literacy classes. During a "peace and harmony camp'' held last week at Gandhi Darshan for him and others like him who are slated to go to Pakistan to play a series of cricket matches, he shared his story with Akshat Jain, one of the six members of the Children's Media Team who will be accompanying them to Pakistan. A student of Class X in a co-ed Senior Secondary School, Shaukat says: "I want to become a CBI officer and work for the betterment of society and eradicate child labour from India when I grow up.''

A child labourer himself, Shaukat was forced to start work in a masala factory near his house when he was just eight years old. He worked there for two years and then left his job and joined BBA which happened quite by accident.

His young brother Ashraf, who employed at the residence of an IAS officer's house, was burnt with a stove by his employer because he dared to drink the milk meant for his child.

After extensive investigation by the police and the BBA, the case was decided and the IAS officer punished. This proved to be the turning point in Shaukat's life as he started questioning his own situation especially as a child labour. He continued to work in the masala factory, though. One day he happened to attend a session of the BBA. Again, it was more like an observer that he sat through the conference as he thought it was not his cup of tea because of various bondages. However, he was later convinced by his mother and by the BBA to join them formally.

Clearly he was deeply moved by the way children were being exploited by different sections of society. Hence the decision to join BBA, says Shaukat. As an active member, he has now taken up the onerous task of bringing to an end, injustice meted out to street children. He has a complete family and his parents, uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters are proud of him and are very amiable. "I miss them and make sure that I visit them when I am stationed in a nearby place," says Shaukat.

In 1998, he went to Pakistan, which was his first trip outside India. It was the Global March Against Child Labour as part of which he visited 13 countries including Germany, England, Switzerland, Iran, Turkey, Greece and Spain.

He is currently working on a project "Cricket for Peace" where 25 Indian street children and 20 Pakistani children will play a series of friendly cricket matches between April 4 and April 19 in various cities of Pakistan.

This programme, initiated by Saumya Sen and his actress-wife and social activist, Nandita Das, of Leapfrog in association with international volunteer organization ActionAid India and with many other NGOs' aims to spread the message and evoke the spirit of peace and harmony between India and Pakistan. Besides, it also aims to bring about awareness in child rights and child advocacy.

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