Karnataka - Bangalore   

Candidates take help of little cheerleaders

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

For a quick buck: Children are paid to shout slogans, carry pamphlets or small flags in favour of candidates during election campaigning.

BANGALORE: They form the main chunk of people who lend support to a candidate’s strength and this is why they are an integral part of a candidate’s cavalcade. Paid every day, mostly in cash, they eagerly wait for the candidate’s arrival at the party office. No campaign, either in Bangalore or elsewhere, is complete without them. Yet, they form only a faceless and nameless group in the motley crowd where only the candidate and his associates are known faces.

These faceless figures, mainly from the lower middle-class or from slums, are the most vocal, either shouting slogans in favour of their candidate or carrying pamphlets, small flags or buntings. Many of them are barely out of their teens, but they seem to have got the hang of electioneering. Almost all of them have joined the election party only to make a quick buck.

Just a handful of these children are committed party workers and most of them are willing to switch sides at the drop of a hat. Their only concern is that they should be given daily work so that they can earn some money for the day.

Almost all the political parties, their candidates and even some independents employ children for campaign work. They are paid between Rs. 60 to Rs. 160 a day and they seem to be quite happy about it. As one such “campaign worker” Santhu (name changed) in Jayanagar says: “Will anyone else give me money for shouting or screaming. I get Rs. 160 a day, plus some food. Instead of whiling away my time, I can make money," he says.

Arif and his group, who are all studying in a local school near Whitefield, are thrilled at the prospect of being part of a party campaign. Pointing out that his school is closed for vacation, Arif says he and his friends initially waited for a leader from one of the national political parties to come to visit their area. When he failed to come on the appointed date, Arif and his group quickly switched loyalties and joined another political party. Their reward: Rs. 160 a day and their work: bursting crackers, beating drums and whistling.

When they are asked if the work is not exhausting, Arif says the work is over by 5 p.m., and that they take rest beneath trees and beside roadside dhabas. “When the candidate stops to eat or have a break, we too get a break, “ he says.

Parents of such children are happy that their child is engaged at least for a day. “With schools closed, we do not have to bother about what they will do,” says Angamma, a maid servant of Tilak Nagar slum whose son is part of the cheer brigade of a local candidate.

Interestingly, there are only a handful of candidates who appear not to have hired such children. The Janata Dal (United) candidate from Anekal Reserved Assembly constituency, C. Thopaiah, says he has not paid anybody, least of all any child to work for him.

When The Hindu joined him on his campaign trail at Hebbagodi Gate off Hosur Road, Mr. Thopaiah was accompanied by youth and all of them were students.

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