Congress leaders on Friday raised concern about child labour with party Treasurer Ahmed Patel urging the government to announce a comprehensive scheme to protect children of displaced migrant families.
Referring to the World Day Against Child Labour, Patel said "ill-planned" lockdown has disrupted lives of lakhs of poor children who are at risk of being pushed back into poverty.
"On WorldDayAgainstChildLabour I urge the Central Govt to announce a comprehensive scheme to protect children of displaced migrant families. This ill-planned lockdown has disrupted the lives of lakhs of poor children who now risk being pushed back into abject poverty," he said in a tweet.
Congress Communications Incharge Randeep Singh Surjewala urged people not to encourage child labour.
"Those tender hands at the repair shop, hold the potential to change the destiny of a nation. Let us not chain them in the limitations of child labour," Surjewala said on Facebook.
Party MP Msh Tewari also urged people to be vocal in eradicating child labour.
"The next time you stop at a Dhaba and see a 'Chotu' scurrying to fetch you tea, realise that a little child is putting his childhood at stake to earn a livelihood- And needs your voice to help eradicate child labour & have a fair shot at life!" he said in a tweet.
Some other party leaders including Chairperson AICC Grievances Cell Archana Dalmiya, Punjab School Education Minister Vijay Inder Singla and former Himachal Pradesh Minister Asha Kumari also laid stress on allowing children to gain knowledge and not money.
The World Day Against Child Labour 2020 focuses on the impact of coronavirus crisis on child labour.
According to United Nations, COVID-19 health pandemic and the resulting economic and labour market shock are having a huge impact on people's lives and livelihoods and the crisis can push millions of vulnerable children into child labour.
There are an estimated 152 million children in child labour, 72 million of which are in hazardous work. The UN says that these children are now at even greater risk of facing circumstances that are even more difficult and working longer hours.
( With inputs from ANI )