14-year-old Santram from Madhya Pradesh has had to live through an unfortunate childhood which none of us can even begin to imagine. Ever since he was mortgaged by his father Bhagirath, Santram’s life has been a dark and silent ordeal day after day. When Santram turned nine, he was mortgaged by his father to a local money lender for a meager amount of Rs. 5000 and 600 kilograms of wheat. Since that fateful day, Santram has been working for twelve hours daily as a bonded labour so that his family gets 100 kilograms of wheat per anum. Bhagirath, now 55 regrets the day he gave his son away to the money lender Kanhaiya Lal Bhandari. Bhagirath cannot bring his son out of the darkness and suffering because he doesn’t have any source of income and can’t remotely imagine of paying off the loan. To add insult to injury Bhandari adds up interest every time Santram asks for permission to go home. Hr is told that he has a lot left to payback. To this net of poverty and exploitation that traps not only him but a large part of the population, Santram has given up all hope of ever being a free man and is sure he will have to work till he is old and his body finally gives up.

A shocking reality

This story sounds straight out of a sixties Hindi film, but as shocking as it may sound, it is a harsh reality for millions in our country. When urban India with a prosperous industrial belt moves towards progress and such feudal practices sound like relics of a past era, there is a problem of bonded labour and child labour that exists right beside the India that shines.

Source: Hunger notes

A practice adopted in an entire region

Harda district in Madhya Pradesh, where Santram hails from, is well known for this practice of parents giving away children as mortgage for loans and the children being made to work as bonded labours for long hours. This practice is completely normal for the poverty struck Korku and Gond tribes that dominate this district. In another such case Kamal, who belongs to the district was mortgaged by his father who spends all the money he earns on alcohol.

Source: Wikimedia