In Jharkhand's Trafficking Hotspot, Elections Mean More Dodgy Promises

Godda, Jharkhand: The last phase of polling in Jharkhand will take place on Saturday, in areas that are considered the stronghold of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. In the past year though, districts like Godda, where elections are due, have been in the news for trafficking incidents, where desperate parents are forced by poverty to send their children to far flung places in the hope of a better life for them.

In May, the alleged trafficking of about 120 children from Godda to orphanages in Kerala had made headlines. Their subsequent rescue and return, in July, also led to promises, by the government, of a better life for the children, including better education.

Of the 120 odd children rescued, almost all were sent there by poverty stricken families, and taken by middlemen without proper paperwork - they were just part of a long list of children being sent out by locals here for years.

Orphanages in Kerala offer a better standard of living, better education. Middle men approach poor tribal families like these in Jharkand - when they deliver children to the orphanage, they get their cut.

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Haliman Biwi says five of her grandchildren - four girls and one boy - went to Kerala this year. They were all rescued and brought back to the village.

The Jharkhand government promised new schools, new homes and even old age pension for parents or family members, but villagers allege in most cases this has remained just on paper.

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"They came and promised many things, but they never came back to follow up," says Haliman Biwi.

District officials said they were busy with elections and hence unable to respond to specific queries. But they pointed out everything is being done to rehabilitate the children and their families.

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The political response, to issues like trafficking, has been shoddy at best.

The Congress candidate at the Mahagama block, from where many children are taken out, is also the sitting MLA, but cagey at best about what he has done, or will do, to stop children from going out of here.

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"The point is not rehabilitation of these children, they were being sent for education outside. We have tried to send them to local schools or to the Madarsas here," says says Rajesh Ranjan, Congress candidate and sitting MLA, Mahagama.

Jharkhand has reported some of the highest trafficking numbers over the last few years. The state has some of the lowest human development indicators too, with most people living in dire poverty. The response of successive governments, and politicians to issues like trafficking has been grossly inadequate at best.