If we want to change India's mind-set, we must start with a change in the NE, says Nobel Laureate
BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI, Sept 22: The Bharat Yatra, led by Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi was flagged off here on Friday.
The Nobel Peace Laureate and his co-marchers were welcomed at Guwahati by Dr Mridul Hazarika, Vice Chancellor of Guwahati University, who pledged to join the Bharat Yatra to ensure the realization of Surakshit Bachpan-Surakshit Bharat.
Emphasizing on the need to push for a strong anti-trafficking bill, one that will adequately define punishment for the perpetrators and modes of redressal for the victims, the Nobel Peace Laureate said, “We are in this fight together and must fight against the darkness of abuse. The North-East is the mirror of the country and if we want to change India’s mind-set, we must start with a change in the North-East. The environment will change, when the ordiry people like you and me push for a change! Let us strive towards better, stronger and smarter laws for our children”.
The march saw the participation of over 3000 youth and dignitaries walk to demand necessary rights for the youngest citizens of our country, with over 3 lakh people participating in the Yatra, within its first 12 days.
Dr. Hazarika, welcoming Satyarthi and speaking on the Bharat Yatra said, “It is an alarming indication of the progress of our country that we are in a situation where we have to have a program to save children, that we cannot say that our children are safe.”
Addressing thousands of youth at the Guwahati University campus, Satyarthi said, “Incidents of child rape and child abuse are occurring frequently, all around the country. The worrisome part is that most people don’t raise the issue when it happens with them and the whole epidemic is hidden under the garb of respect, honour, dignity of the boy’s and girl’s family. Parents do not report to the police about the abuse their children face. They keep silent about it. Let us change this mind-set and speak out because child sexual abuse is tearing the moral fabric of our society and our silence is emboldening the perpetrators of these crimes.”
The Bharat Yatra launched on 11 September at Kanyakumari by Satyarthi is marching across the country to build unprecedented awareness on combating child sexual abuse and trafficking.
The Yatra is the launch of the three-year campaign against child rape and child sexual abuse which is aimed at increasing awareness and reporting of the cases, strengthening intuitiol response including medical health and compensations, ensuring protection for victims and witnesses during trials and increasing convictions of child sexual abuse in a time bound manner.