SOCIETY

Udayan Namboodirı On Child Beggars of Murshidabad

Most (of the 76 girls) hailing from poor Muslim families of Murshidabad district may have been "lent" by their own parents for a sum to operators abroad.

For many destitute families in the area, a disabled child, it appears, is an asset. One that can be bundled off to Mecca or other places of pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia to beg, through international operators, in return for Rs.20,000 to.Rs.40,000. One Abdul Hazi, believed to be a "don" in the racket, was arrested along with an associate named Saidul (by Murshidabad police).

The local police have long been aware of the practice of parents "lending" their disabled children to such men -and even their eventual disappearance at times. The price paid depends on the nature of a child's deformity. More the disability, greater the alms he/she can generate.

"It is only when the child does not return after a very long time, or when the promised amount is not paid in full, that the parents come to us", said a district CID official. Sahajadpur about 4 km off the National Highway 34 is fairly large, with a minority population. The house of Abdul Hazi - "Mir Palace" - stands out in the middle, with its elaborate structure Believed to be a "catchment area" for operators of the racket; it has three scouts or agents working here. They move around the district looking for disabled children. When found, their parents are contacted and offered a "contract" – entirely verbal. If both parties agree, the child is taken to Calcutta or Shillong, where passports are arranged, and then shipped to Saudi Arabia in "dhows".

Dire poverty seems to be at the root of the racket. And putting on extra pressure are the scouts and agents who appear to wield considerable clout among the poor in the area. Their combined assurances often compel parents to give away even their normal children.