Update on begging by children

SMSs are puprotedly being sent by the Commissioner of Labour (State of Maharashtra) to Airtel Phones. One such SMS (received on 14.10.2006) reads- “Ban on engaging child as domestic servant or hotel, tea shops, dhabas, eating houses, spas etc. Request you not to employ child below fourteen years and help us to make our state child labour free”.

Looks like soon we will start getting SMSs advising us to refrain from giving alms to children engaged in begging. Let us hope, we the people start taking such advices (if and when they are sent) seriously.


Post Script
Next, in these liberalized times the syndicates engaged in the business of utilizing the services of children for the profitable business of begging may start an agitation. Perhaps such an agitation may find support from the groups engaged in the peripheral activities viz., kidnapping of children, physically mutilating such children (it increases the market value of such child beggars).