Who would you blame?

So the first thing I saw in the papers* while sipping my coffee at work was... GAP, New Delhi and child labor. Reading through the news article, I was struck by how no one got any comments from the government on the whole issue. And am sure the government probably is not bothered by it anyways.

Businesses have always been pro their own profit, which is how they get money and investors. Of late there have been noises about the social responsibilities of the businesses. But the true fact is that it is upto the law and the society to uphold that fragment of social responsibility and make sure that the businesses follow it. In the case of our country, sadly, the government is the one needing the most of governance and maybe some soul.

After the whole tehelka ka tehelka, I guess everyone knows that the politicians in our country don't really give a damn. Those who talk with such nonchalance about children being butchered probably arent bothered by them being made to work in inhuman conditions. Unless of course the issue becomes big enough to threaten their position at the top. Then we might see some movement but only in the letter of the law, not the spirit.

I can't really blame GAP either, or any other such company. If the government of the country does not give a damn, why should the company do so, when for it these kids are just faceless employees, mere machines to do their bidding. No, I think most of the blame should fall with the people of our nation. For am pretty sure that even after reading this story (or maybe watching it every 2 minutes on aaj tak) people will still buy GAP with pride, only wincing at the big bucks they pay for that merchandise. No one will give a second thought to the ruined childhood and broken dreams of so many innocents. Maybe that's what they talk about in economics. Too much of a resource makes us blind to it value. And that is what's been the problem with the Indian society. There are just too many of us that there is no value of a life or the sweetness it brings. I never could fathom how one could love their own child so much while being totally blind to the existence and misery of another's. The sad part is, I know that if I were to go back in that environment, in a few years I might just turn into those very people am talking about right now.

*I wrote this a few days back but didn't realize that I sent it to draft instead of post!