Cruelty to our own child.

Yesterday a very disturbing sight met my eyes when a three year child was getting canned in the open at a construction sight by his father who was obviously a contractual labourer on the sight.The bitter cries of the child almost forced one to intervene. But 'conscious considerations of class' perhaps pulled one back.However,the incident was difficult to shake off.It led to a stream of thoughts.What possibly a three year child could have done to ask for such punishment?

Rights of children keeps finding place in general discourse very often.However,insensitive and coercive treatment of children in their own homes mostly goes unnoticed.In fact,if we desire of laying a sound foundation to social and human order of our future,the issue of the maltreatment of the child has to take precedence over all social concerns,be they women empowerment,removing caste bias or bridging inequalities.The nature of this child abuse by the parents or the near ones is particularly intricate because in most of the cases this takes place in the name of providing them mentor ship.Needs and emotions of a defenceless child are hardly ever understood and disciplinary regime which at times includes threats and even thrashing or stifling selfish love is imposed upon a creature who is unable to protest. How unjust?It is true that this mad race which life has come to stand for in the new socio-economic perspective leaves little moisture inside us but venting the accumulated frustrations on a poor toddler is something we must desist from.