The other day, i was in the local train First class compartment. It was approx 10:30 in the morning.
At Kalwa station, a couple of kids, dressed in rags and covered in dust (most probably from the slums in Kalwa), got into the compartment. A lady in the compartment suddenly got up and starting using abusive words and very rudely asked the kids to get off at the next station!!!
I am sure that if these kids were in school uniforms or even in good clothes and well dressed, the lady would not have used rough words and actions with them. I am not advocating that children should be allowed in the first class compartments - people have their own prejudices about that and i feel it is okay as well.
My only point is that these kids do not behave properly with us because we people do not treat them right.
Why can't we be nice and gentle to these kids? Why can't we treat them like they deserve to be treated as children?
It is only when we change our attitude towards them that they shall change their attitude towards us and the others they talk to!!!
I just request the lady (and many others like her) to please tell these children nicely and softly that they should get down at the next station and get into the next compartment.
Well that is not very difficult, is it???
Well said Ratna. I completely agree with you. It is like, "If you want to see a change in other person, first change yourself". And I am proud that we are the change agents :)
ReplyDeleteRatna, this is something that really needed saying! Those of us who work for Child Rights will often be faced with such behaviour and it will be our responsibility to remind people, that these are children too!
ReplyDelete