Selling Slumdog fame Rubina
Dr. Pravin Patkar’s work in prevention of trafficking of women is perhaps unparalleled. He periodically informs me [among others] about the work his NGO is doing and also his views on several related issues. His views are candid, studied and his perspectives different because he has seen a world that a common man like me has not. I am reproducing what he wrote to me recently, with of course, his permission. [Recently Rubina’s father put her up for adoption or sale, I have provided link in the text, here is additional one from wikipedia on Rubina]. [Link]
Everyone knows who Rubina is. [She played young Latika in Oscar winning Slumdog…]. Everyone also knows what the Dharavi slum is where Rubina lives. It is one question every Dharavi slum dweller can answer. The largest slum in Asia! A cliché!
Sting operations are losing their charm. They are not as common for the media as cardiac surgeries to a cardiac surgeon or caesarean deliveries to a gynaecologist. Still a sting operation was carried out. The entire episode is actually not worth spending our valuable time. Still there are some lessons learnt and some yet to be learnt.
Some so called NGOs operating in the field of women’s empowerment which are run by the out and out party politicians which only selectively pick up cases on the basis of their sensationalism, publicity mileage, and media visibility were too busy in election campaigning. They were conspicuously absent.
Unlike in the past even the child rights NGOs, which are a dozen a dime in the city did not touch this case at all. Actually until recently you could know that they are alive only when such high media value episodes occurred. There is a danger lurking behind this trend. . . if they start keeping away from such high visibility sensational cases they will soon be signing their death certificate.
At last, you got to know that the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights [Link] is finally out of the incubator. It is not stillborn! The timing is however wrong! When there are so many I mean ‘Soooooo maaaaany’ burning issues of child rights and child protection pending for years the National Commission showed uncalled for initiative to start inquiry in the whole episode. It declared that it would dash down to Mumbai and look into the matter.
Will anyone ask the question ‘Why?’.
What happened to the Maharashtra State Commission for Child Rights? [See Link] Has it failed? Has it refused to look into the matter? Is it not aware of the issue?
If it i.e. the Maharashtra State Commission for Child Rights has not started any inquiry in the matter what are its reasons?
There are 2 Child Welfare Committees set up under the Juvenile Justice Act for Mumbai and both are doing adequately well. Technically speaking the matter should go to the CWC and not the Commission at all.
The police have to take the child to the CWC. The accused should be produced before the nearest Magistrate. What is the role of the National Commission in this?
Should the Mumbai CWC wait for someone to complain or should it start a suo motu action?
There are so many children bought, sold, pledged, pawned, trafficked, exported, smuggled, rented, everyday in this country. Why so much initiative in one particular case particularly when there is such rampant inaction (exception the Mumbai CWCS of course! They are busy every day, I know) and apathy in general? This reminds us of those activists who suddenly wake up only when there is a case of a white skinned tourist sexually exploiting a local kid. They are in deep sleep when everyday thousands of kids are sexually exploited by the insiders of all skin colours. Obviously the reason is the same. . . low selling value!
Finally, we must unequivocally condemn a section of the media for pouncing on Rubina to get the ‘TRUTH’ out of her. Shame! Shame!! Are we scared that they won’t call us for the next bite?
[With thanks to Dr. Pravin Patkar]
Vivek
Sir, your passion and angst is very visible throughout the post !
Sections of the society are to be blamed for the noise around such ‘sensational’ ‘news worthy’ issues !
Other sections of the society are the consumers of such news. After all media houses dont sell to Martians !
And yet other section of society is the silent yet disturbed variety. Through this post, i hear a voice of a person who not only has stood by his heart and refuses to be part of this group !
Wonderfully written and incisive.
It is inexplicable the way humans behave!
I am not sure whether this was done as a publicity stunt or some one can be so callous, but at the end of the day, its a real issue (for lack of a better word to describe this heinous activity!)
thank you for highlighting so many children’s issues!
The media likes to exploit the short term memory of us Indians. A fact very aptly pointed out by the "Defence Minister" in the cult movie "Rang De Basanti". Why would not anyone want to hype an issue which sells newspaper copies? After all, the reporters and editors of newspapers have to earn their living too, right?
So long as they are doing it in a legitimate fashion, it is OK. However, the line of privacy is frequently crossed & innocent lives are affected by the media craving for sales.
/Radgovin
Vivek sir,Thanks a lot for encouraging words for me.your views are very inspiring.please keep blessing me in coming days also….
Hi Vivek,
What a subject, I read about this wee girl recently in our papers and wondered what would become of her…. The very thought that something horrible could happen to her is abhorrent.. I can’t comprehend how her parents could let her go and perhaps be put at risk somewhere. But I speak from a much luckier standpoint. We in this country are not in the same position as her parents… we in this country have the benefit of a ‘Social Services’ who help when families are suffering through lack of money to feed their children. So who are we to preach how things should be…
It’s a horrible position for children to be caught up in and I don’t have either the ability or the where-with-all to help. I can only look on and pray that her position and that of many others will improve somehow.
As for newspapers and their comments I wouldn’t know what to say or do about them . We have the same problems here – It seems sometime as though they encourage certain attitudes then stand back and wait for the balloon to burst!
Dear Kavi, Roshni, Radgovin and Kate,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Kate: We do have problem of poverety here, that is the bad part, and the good side is that thee are many people like Dr Patkar who do very laudable work. Thanks for your very empathetic words, they show your sensitivity to such issues.
Vivek
You have indeed highlighted an important issue. Rubina’s attempted sell-off is just a tip of the iceberg…the real victims and culprits function all over India in anonymity and poverty.
Organisations like the ones you mentioned do a lot to save and rehabilitate the victims, but the human traffic net is full of holes.
Kudos for bringing out this issue. And a big thumbs-down to the section of the media which engineered this cheap gimmick, exploiting the poverty of Rubina’s parents for soundbytes.
Great Blog!
I shall be eagerly waiting to read your latest blogs.
This kind of exposure is badly needed, but how many of us are really concerned? Congrats on your being able to handle such a sensitive issue.
yeah, this is outrageous… and this is not some damn award, it's the Oscars! and it's very actors are homeless!
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