SELLING OF NATIONAL FLAG ON THE STREETS, HOW FAR CORRECT ? – “KHUSHI”

Sentiments of millions of Indians are attached with the national flag of India. Should the national flag be sold on the streets, either by street children or by general shopkeepers? Should the national flag be sold only through Khadi Gram Udyog Kendra, which would also generate ample employment opportunities in rural India?

The Supreme Court in 1996 passed a landmark judgement allowing every citizen to fly the national flag with respect, dignity and honour, thus making it a fundamental right. The Union Government approved the recommendations of the inter-ministerial committee headed by P. D. Shenoy and removed the restrictions on the use of the National Flag by all Indian citizens from January 26, 2002.

National Flag has always been a symbol of pride, patriotism and belongingness. Whether it has been pre-independence era or post-independence, a well-laid down decorum has been followed by all Indians across the world. In this the sentiments of solders of India carry a special feeling and the chorus of ‘Jai Hind’ sends a vibration in the entire country making every Indian proud.

Up comes our Independence Day, 15^th August, and people start looking for the national flag for hoisting at their houses, offices and even their cars.

“But are people buying these flags out of patriotism or out of mercy on these children? How far this is acceptable?” a question raised by child welfare campaign “Khushi” Child Care Project.  

When the traffic light turns red and all vehicles come to a halt, these children rush to the cars and autos while peddling small flags in their hands. These children don’t even know what they are selling. For them, it’s a mere piece of paper with saffron, green and white stripes that would bring them the money at the end of the day.

“Government is doing so much for the deprived children through Anganwadis but the children still remain on the streets begging. Selling the national flag is equivalent to quick money for them. Their parents are seated in shelter and they send their children for only emotional quotient. It has become another method of extracting money from people who get sentimental by seeing the national flag or deprived children.” Says Pavan Kaushik, Founder of Project “Khushi”. People generally respond by saying that this is a source of income for the kids and we should let them continue selling the national flag. So are we now establishing the fact that child begging is a valid & permissible source of income and we should continue to encourage the increasing number of beggars in the country?” questions Pavan Kaushik. “If we want these children to become assets to the nation, the emotional feeling needs to be curbed for the betterment of these children.”

So where will the common people buy the national flag from? “The best way to get flag without any confusion about colours, sizes, dimensions etc. would be from the government store and nothing better than Khadi Gram Udyog Kendras, says Project Khushi. Even the school teachers can engage the children for making national flag for free distribution in the vicinity. Why do you need to buy them only from the street children?”

The Supreme Court in 1996 passed a landmark judgement allowing every citizen to fly the national flag with respect, dignity and honour, thus making it a fundamental right. The Union Government approved the recommendations of the inter-ministerial committee headed by P. D. Shenoy and removed the restrictions on the use of the National Flag by all Indian citizens from January 26, 2002.

The Flag Code, established in 1950, has been amended after the historic and landmark decision of the Union Cabinet.

The ten rupees from your pocket won’t make much difference to you, but it would make the kid a beggar for life. Do not encourage begging.

VEDANTA KHUSHI:MAAHI'VES' CONCERN FOR THE STREET CHILDREN

Maahi Vaishnav working tirelessly for the needy children - "Khushi" at his best

It was another day of satisfaction. When you meet some one who strongly relates with "Khushi" and does its bit to ensure some change is brought in society, you tend to know more. 

I met today a very simple girl, engrossed in her laptop, finding new ideas and ways to help the deprived children, particularly street children. We had fixed a time to meet and without wasting a single second she narrated her passion for the campaign "Khushi" and how the campaign has motivated her to take-up child care at the individual level.

Her name is Maahi Vaishnav, Founder of an NGO Maitri Manthan and she does her bit MAAHI've'. This young woman is with high vision and her mission to help as many deprived children. She has been with them, listening to them, listening to their dreams, their thoughts and their needs. She narrates as how she gets inclined to help these children as she sees them. She is against giving money. 

Maahi says, ' giving money will make these children further lazy and beggars. At least they are doing some work today, may be its not right but they are not begging'. Maahi is right. The children on the street are not by chance but by choice. Lack of education, motivation and guidance has made these children, the children of street. She has been counseling their parents to allow these children to study, but, the damage has already been done.

Maahi has also been helping these children with immunization and health attention. She checks with them if their immunization has been completed or not. And the time she finds its not done and their is scope of getting it done, she wastes no time.

I asked Maahi, what motivated her for this concern for deprived children. Maahi replied " when I joined Khushi campaign I realized how important is to do individual efforts in solving this national problem. Government, Companies, NGOs all are doing something, only we are not doing anything. So I decided I have to do something for these children. Today may be I am able to change lives of few, but at least I am doing my bit."

Maahi, you are doing things the Maahi've' (way) and we are proud to have you in "Khushi" group.

Pavan

VEDANTA KHUSHI - A DAY OUT WITH STREET CHILDREN

The memories of spending 2-days with more than 125 Street Children of Malla Talai are so fresh.
Vedanta "Khushi" team spent two days with them in the Malla Talai locality of Udaipur. They even organised a workshop for them and held a painting competition. Here over 125 children between the age of one and 13 years attended, some along with their parents and listened to the "Khushi" team’s talk on health and hygiene.
Here is the glimpse of the day spent with street children...

Vedanta Khushi : 'Kaali' Smile Said All, "Khushi" Was Evident

Meeting children of streets on the street is never easy. Their expectations are different, their daily routines are different and also the way they see life.  The circumstances had changed them to such an extent that they dont want to change now. Vedanta "Khushi" team was planning to meet these children at their own hide-out, the street. We all were wondering how do we handle them and build a communication.  From interaction to hygienic point of view, to support to every thing was haunting our minds.

With all preparation we went to meet these children at Malla Talai, a locality where you will find such children running around the streets, without any focus or ambition or any fear.  Most of them do not go to school and have not gone either. Some are inclined to go but there is no school in the locality.

This is where we met a black complexioned girl, who was named 'Kaali' by her parents and also her friends. We started a conversation with her and were not actually surprised to know that she does not remember when she had her last bath, when at all she brushed her teeth, when she changed her clothes and combed her hair. She was my favourite even though she was very less talkative.

The "Khushi" team instantly got engaged with these children and the conversation started.  Deepu and Shyam wanted to go to school and were very good in their creative art. Geeta and Rakhi were more into domestic work and had no thought to education.  Raja was interested in becoming big man and have a big car and house. Radheshyam was very quite as he was trying to understand what we had in mind for him. All these children were more into doing something different. Some had aspirations to do but were not sure to join our band-wagon, who was already into more than 100 children.

"Kaali" told me that she has seen colours for the first time and she would be painting also for the first time. We were holding her hand to teach her and she was looking at our faces as if something strange was happening.  Strange was, we felt, no one had put-in efforts to bring-up these children and motivate them to do something different. Perhaps our presence made them feel important.

The children on the street are not by choice, but by circumstances. "Khushi" on this day, tried to inculcate a feeling of being wanted, feeling of being educated, importance of health & hygiene, and most importantly, a desire to do something different.

While leaving "Kaali" came and was holding my hand, she said nothing, just a smile, a "Khushi" on her face conveyed she was happy.  Our job was done for this day.

Follow "Khushi" at www.facebook.com/groups/vedantakhushi

Vedanta Khushi - Street Children - Will They Remain On Streets Forever ?

Mere mention of Street Children brings a many notions on the condition of these poor and deprived children in India. Some are borne poor and there are most, who wish to remain the same. Fault lies in system or the fault lies in them or their parents, is only an escape route. The fact of the matter is that the number of these children is only increasing. We cannot run away from this situation.

Various reports including that of UNICEF, estimates that there are about 11 million street children in India. Metros like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad alone contribute about 40% of these children.

None of the bus stands, railway stations, bridges, religious places, traffic signals or the markets are without the presence of street children. About 65% of these children live with their families and sleep in public area, vulnerable to all kind of abuses and risks. It is also true that a significant number of these children belong to migrated families, who travel for want of work from cities to cities.

Vedanta Khushi initiated a debate recently to check for the solutions from the common citizen perspective. About 100 people participated in this on-line debate. Khushi presents you a 10 POINT probable solution for Govt.- Corporates - People - NGOs - Associations - Schools and Colleges to act together to develop these children as responsible citizens.

1. Counseling the parents and children is necessary to make them understand the necessity of education or vocational training as a long term solution towards a respectable life.

2. To enthuse them towards education, play-way methods to be utilized.

3. Drive to Enrol street children for primary education with free facilities like mid-day meal, books, education and uniforms.

4. NGOs / Individuals / Organizations / Schools and Colleges should encourage employees/ students to organize creative workshops for the street children.

5. Children who are partially educated should be encouraged for getting training in occupations like - Electricians, Plumbing, Repairs, Carpentry, Painting, Mechanics, Tailoring etc.

6. Government through local administration map these children at district level and submit a time-bound plan.

7. All citizens should discourage child labour and child beggary at their level to push these children towards respectable profession.

8. A majority of parents of the street children are engaged as domestic servants - as responsible citizen there should be a deliberate effort to explore possibility of adopting education of children of these parents.

9. The dependency on Government needs to decrease and Government itself should come forward and ask for support from industries, NGOs, Industry Associations, prominent Clubs, schools & colleges and prominent citizens to take up the cause, may be as a small initiative, and the Government should help through its administrative support.

10. Voluntary support by citizens in necessary to implement government programs for these children.

"Khushi" would be keen to know people, how many after reading this, took a step forward towards its implementation.

Vedanta Khushi - Care for the Underprivileged Children