Lamenting that children were not a "political priority" in the country, Nobel laureate and child rights campaigner Kailash Satyarthi today appealed to the Centre to implement the toughest law to put an end to their exploitation.
"...Children are not our political priority which is quite unfortunate. Besides political, children are also not social, religious priorities in the country," Mr Satyarthi said during a Meet-The-Press programme held in Chandigarh this evening.
Saying that the present law in the country "could not stop" child labour completely, Mr Satyarthi, 61, appealed to the Centre to implement tough law to completely eradicate child labour and child slavery.
"Today, 80-85 per cent cases involving child labour in the country are not banned...present law on child labour allows child labour up to the age of 14 in non-hazardous occupations," he said, adding that Child Labour Law was contrary to the Right to Education Act and Juvenile Justice Act.
"We are appealing to the government, all MPs that the law (on child labour) which has been lying in the Parliament be passed," he said.
"The new law was passed by the Cabinet, Standing Committee. But it has not been tabled yet. The last government came and went and now the new government is there," he said.
"Children between the age of 15-18 years will not be allowed to work in non-hazardous occupation. This law also ensures proper rehabilitation of these children," he said.
"In the past, our economic condition was not good. But today we are regarded as the one of fastest growing countries in the world. Therefore, we should initiate in this regard," he said.
The child rights crusader also stressed on providing quality education to children if India wants to become a progressive and developed nation.
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