BIJAPUR, Oct 9: Child labourers held a jatha to demand the abolition of child labour here today. The jatha was held under the aegis of the National Association for Child Labourers.

More than a thousand children from the 40-odd schools meant for child labourers took part in the jatha. The procession wound its way through the Ambedkar Circle, Basaveshwara Circle and the Gandhi Circle and culminated at the Gaganamahal premises.

Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Singh, who is also the president of the National Association for Child Labourers and project director Vijayshankar headed the jatha. The children shouted slogans such as 'Abolish child Labour', 'Childhood is for playing, not working' and 'Give us education, not work'. They also held up posters demanding the abolition of child labour and also urged the government to provide them education. Many voluntary organisations also took part in the rally.

Most of the children who took part in the rally were earlier either working in hotels or homes or were begging for a living. Now most of them have been enrolled in schools. One of them, Shobha Poojary, who is now studying in her eighth standard has a dream -- she wants to become a deputy commissioner who would be successful in abolishing child labour. Her classmate, Arjun, wants to become a police officer while their friend Jaya wants to become an engineer. All of them have different dreams but one hope -- hope that they would not be made to slog again.

PROMPT ACTION: Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Singh, who was taking part in the rally, suddenly spotted a girl who was looking ill and on top of it, was eating the peel of a rotten fruit. He immediately made arrangements to take her to the hospital. .