Man is a social animal, apart from the society it would not be possible for him to live. One of the most important and essential social institution is state. Nations are made not by a single act. It is formed by a chain of actions and reactions in the collective mind of people who live in a particular part of the world.
It is the people of India who made India to a Democratic Republic. They constituted their nation to secure its citizens Justice, social, economic and political; Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; Equality of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all, fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation. All the legal systems and legislation are made in India to secure the said objectives. Children who forms about 42% of the total population of our nation are also the citizens of India.
In pursuant to the constitutional mandate and as a subscriber to the covenant of child rights convention of U.N. Assembly India have evolved a National policy for the welfare of the children. The thrust of the policy is that, ‘The Nation’s children are a supremely important asset. Their nature and solicitude are our responsibility. Children’s Programme shall find a prominent part in national plans for the development of human resources, so that our children grow up to become robust citizens, physically fit, mentally alert and morally healthy, endowed with the skills and motivations needed by the society. Equal opportunities for development to all children during the period of growth should be our aim, for this would serve our larger purpose of reducing inequality and ensuring social justice.’
On the evaluation of the state of India, only two rulers in India realized the importance of the child in the polity through out history of the republic. They are, first visionary first Prime Minister of India Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru who knew that it is in the classrooms the nation being build up . Presently the great President of India APJ Abdul Kalam, who interact with children as if they are most dignified persons of the nation and ask them to dream for bigger things and to aim at the heavens?
On present time it seems those who understand the importance of the children in the polity are the militant groups, mafias, fundamentalists etc. The fate of the fighting children in Sri Lanka is not the only example. It is on recent days the Pakistani religious fundamentalists used the students in “Lal Mazjid” as the shield from the army attack. Everybody knows if children are groomed from the early days they can be shaped to become anyone. Hence when a state plans about the future of nation the planning shall give importance to children and their development, for the development of the children means development of the nation.
But what is the approach the elders have to the children. They think that the children are only slaves. The parents at home, the teachers at school, the police on street, the bus conductors at public transport system, the politicians at their level, the persons in charge of children’s home , the judiciary , anybody they interact with, to say other wise the entire nation is inimical to the children . In fact this approach to the children is really a hindrance in India becoming a developed country at present. If the people start to recognize the rights of the children and protect their rights amazing changes will come to the nation. If you want the nation to be democratic nation protect the democratic rights of children. If you want nation to be secular teach the children the secular values. If you want to provide justice, equality to the people let the children be taught to be so. If you want to attain fraternity among the people teach the children that India is my country and all Indians are my sisters and brothers.
Hence the approach to the children must be as if they may in future become a Mahatmaji, or an Abdul Kalam Azad or a Vivekananda or a Jesus of Nazareth or another Lord Krishna. The elders have to start to respect him. They should understand that if he is not cared he might become a Raman Rahavan or a Davood Ibrahim. They should understand that he could be a soldier to country or an associate of a Militant Group; a good police officer or a criminal; a doctor or a HIV patient; a priest or a drug addict. What he becomes, the mind set of the nation will determine. The elders have to decide what will be the future of nation, for the child of today is the nation of tomorrow. It is time to realize the fact that the children are the best tools to make a nation.
It is the people of India who made India to a Democratic Republic. They constituted their nation to secure its citizens Justice, social, economic and political; Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; Equality of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all, fraternity assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation. All the legal systems and legislation are made in India to secure the said objectives. Children who forms about 42% of the total population of our nation are also the citizens of India.
In pursuant to the constitutional mandate and as a subscriber to the covenant of child rights convention of U.N. Assembly India have evolved a National policy for the welfare of the children. The thrust of the policy is that, ‘The Nation’s children are a supremely important asset. Their nature and solicitude are our responsibility. Children’s Programme shall find a prominent part in national plans for the development of human resources, so that our children grow up to become robust citizens, physically fit, mentally alert and morally healthy, endowed with the skills and motivations needed by the society. Equal opportunities for development to all children during the period of growth should be our aim, for this would serve our larger purpose of reducing inequality and ensuring social justice.’
On the evaluation of the state of India, only two rulers in India realized the importance of the child in the polity through out history of the republic. They are, first visionary first Prime Minister of India Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru who knew that it is in the classrooms the nation being build up . Presently the great President of India APJ Abdul Kalam, who interact with children as if they are most dignified persons of the nation and ask them to dream for bigger things and to aim at the heavens?
On present time it seems those who understand the importance of the children in the polity are the militant groups, mafias, fundamentalists etc. The fate of the fighting children in Sri Lanka is not the only example. It is on recent days the Pakistani religious fundamentalists used the students in “Lal Mazjid” as the shield from the army attack. Everybody knows if children are groomed from the early days they can be shaped to become anyone. Hence when a state plans about the future of nation the planning shall give importance to children and their development, for the development of the children means development of the nation.
But what is the approach the elders have to the children. They think that the children are only slaves. The parents at home, the teachers at school, the police on street, the bus conductors at public transport system, the politicians at their level, the persons in charge of children’s home , the judiciary , anybody they interact with, to say other wise the entire nation is inimical to the children . In fact this approach to the children is really a hindrance in India becoming a developed country at present. If the people start to recognize the rights of the children and protect their rights amazing changes will come to the nation. If you want the nation to be democratic nation protect the democratic rights of children. If you want nation to be secular teach the children the secular values. If you want to provide justice, equality to the people let the children be taught to be so. If you want to attain fraternity among the people teach the children that India is my country and all Indians are my sisters and brothers.
Hence the approach to the children must be as if they may in future become a Mahatmaji, or an Abdul Kalam Azad or a Vivekananda or a Jesus of Nazareth or another Lord Krishna. The elders have to start to respect him. They should understand that if he is not cared he might become a Raman Rahavan or a Davood Ibrahim. They should understand that he could be a soldier to country or an associate of a Militant Group; a good police officer or a criminal; a doctor or a HIV patient; a priest or a drug addict. What he becomes, the mind set of the nation will determine. The elders have to decide what will be the future of nation, for the child of today is the nation of tomorrow. It is time to realize the fact that the children are the best tools to make a nation.
