Mathura..Is it a holy place?????

It was 25th Jan 2009, Day before 60th Republic Day of India. I was traveling from Bangalore city to my home town Gangapur city by train. Since there is no direct train to GGC so I had to stay for 4 hrs in Mathura from where I could get another train to GGC.

Mathura, A holy place to Hindu pilgrims. This place is popular for lord Krishna,
Where people not only comes from India but also from various places of the world.

So I came down from Karnataka express early in the morning around 8:00 AM. It was bit coldy here and I just came to platform 2 to catch another train to GGC.
I was having four hours to wait there so I was thinking how to spend such a long time there. I was looking around on this platform to find out some coffee or book shop but one incident caught my eye where one man was beating one guy who was looking like a bagger. I just ran there to save him but in the same time this boy somehow escaped from that man and ran away.

It was horrible since all other people were just looking to that incident but no one came out to help this little boy. Few minutes after I just saw one group of children who were cleaning trains by their shirts and bagging money. The age of those children could be around 8 to 14 years but not more then that.
Some of them were just standing there and holding one small cloth in hand, smelling it again and again. I started monitoring their activity continuously and some time later one guy came out from that group. He had some problem in walking and was coming close to me. Suddenly I asked his name and place from where he belongs to. He asked me for one cup of coffee and I offered him by buying from nearby shop.

This was a conversation with one cup of coffee which unfolded a lot of hidden and painful real incident one by one that I could never imagine before.

He started saying that his name is Saddam and he is in Mathura from past 2 years. He lost his father in early age and his mother sold him for some amount of money to one “SAITH”.
He belongs to patna in Bihar and came to this place with his “SAITH”. He must have to pay his “SAITH” around 10,000 in a month by bagging or by doing anything but on the plateforms only. He does not get anything back from “SAITH”. It was such a unhuman act that I could never imagine before.

When I was talking to him one more guy came to me and was looking like 14 years old guy.
He was holding one paper which was printed in HINDI and was asking to Saddam that what is written in that paper. Both of them were just trying something to figure out by looking the pictures but were not able to translate.

Then Saddam started talking about him and introduced to me himself as Rupesh. I shaked hand with him and never cared about his dirty hands at all. I started asking about the guy who was beaten up by one man and came to know that Rupesh was the one who only got beaten up by that man. That man was nothing but a police man or cop who was beating to Rupesh because rupesh was not working for him.
Rupesh told that this cop asked him to work in his home without money, Rupesh told that how it is possible because already he works for “SAITH” and has to earn around 10,000 rs/.

When I asked him in details then a hidden truth came out from him that “SAITH” is nothing but a man from one gang and they work for him. They have to earn 10,000 rs/ per month and if they fail to do so then they get beaten up and do not get food for 1 week and locked up in one dark room for over a week.

I suggested them to run away then they told that it is not possible because in every station they have their people and this chain is national wide chain where one gang support to others. Even if we try to escape and get caught up then they either cut our lags or remove our eyes.

I was horrified to listen that and one time got fear that I may also be trapped because I was openly talking to them. But I was getting voice from my inside that let’s talk to them and try to help them as much as possible.

I asked about small cloth that they were using for smelling. Then Rupesh told that It was nothing but “GAANZA” and children were forced to take it so that they do not feel tired and can work for whole day with this without worrying of food. Also in subconscious mind it was not easy to run away from that place. Later after getting habit of these drugs children will not run away and will come back to them for fulfilling the need of this.

I asked them about NGO’s or other people who can come to them for this help then this guy started abusing them and said no one comes to them.

I was really shocked and surprised that while one side India is flying high with 7-9 percent of GDP growth, other side I think crime was also rising with this much of growth.
But why they were targeting to children this question is unanswered.

I always think that where is the govt, where the social organization, where they are spending the thousands of crore rupees. Are they spending on the people who are already developed?

I myself was really ashamed because I could not help them other then a cup of tea and small intraction where they need lots of moral and emotional support.

What about those children who lost their childhood, education, their rights and everything.

Children are the future of Country and we need to take care of each and every child, not only the children of rich people but also to the children who are living or working in slums.

Govt really need to take action against those cops and gangs and also cops need to understand their responsibility.

Here each and everyone has to understand his/her responsibility to develop the nation.
If we will not do that then what if those children may land up with doing wrong things like terrorist activities and the day is not far away when whole country will suffer.

Request all of you young guns to join hands and help them out.

Thanks