I always thought highly of Siliguri, although several times I have heard that a mafia operates that trades in human persons. It was 6.30 p.m. on 6 March 2010. I was sitting in a middle class restaurant just next to Marina (opposite of the Tenzing-Norgey Bus Terminus) for early dinner, so that I would not have to pick it up before I catch a train to Kolkata. As I sat two other young men walked in and started talking to one of the bearers. Initially, I did not pay attention, as he said, "...I saw the two girls with .....'s driver.... (At this point I thought they are speaking about the children of one of the big guy's children in the city. The talk continued...) One of them is about 8 or 9 years old, and another is about 13 years old. (I still thought the same way.) Both are really cute. You know they will fetch around 20 lakhs! (about 2 million rupees)!" Got a shock! What are they talking about?! My goodness....! And is it such an ordinary talk? Selling of children? The whispers from them were short, and soon the electricity went off. I had to quickly move out. And I took a shared auto to the railway station. When I reached there it was just 8.05 p.m. Since I had plenty of time, as my train was at 9.00 p.m, I went to a barber's shop for hair cut, which I needed badly.
The man who was giving me the haircut was normal in voice whenever he spoke to me or others. I saw another young man in his twenties entering, and came nearer to this man. Then the man started speaking in a broken voice as if he had some pebbles in his mouth. And he said, "Give .... him a call.... tell him to see the girl at the (railway) station.... if he is satisfied or not... if not, tell that we have one.... in Shibmandir. Little costly.... If it is okay with him... Check first the railway station." I nauseated. It is terrible. And Shibmandir is the area where most girls studying in the North Bengal University stay ! It looks like everyone is into the business! Normal? I couldn't believe my ears. Water swelled up in my eyes, thinking of the condition of these girls. Can I help? How? Will someone show me the way how to do it?
The man who was giving me the haircut was normal in voice whenever he spoke to me or others. I saw another young man in his twenties entering, and came nearer to this man. Then the man started speaking in a broken voice as if he had some pebbles in his mouth. And he said, "Give .... him a call.... tell him to see the girl at the (railway) station.... if he is satisfied or not... if not, tell that we have one.... in Shibmandir. Little costly.... If it is okay with him... Check first the railway station." I nauseated. It is terrible. And Shibmandir is the area where most girls studying in the North Bengal University stay ! It looks like everyone is into the business! Normal? I couldn't believe my ears. Water swelled up in my eyes, thinking of the condition of these girls. Can I help? How? Will someone show me the way how to do it?
1 comment:
All of your posts interest me but this one more so because I will be in Siliguri rather soon. I looked up the issue online and found out that most of the girls are transported to India for prostitution from Nepal. Around 7,000 to 12,000 a year according to the article I read dated Jan. 2009.
As for an answer to this sick problem. It really takes a lot of work from many different people and directions. It takes education (especially for girls), punishment for some, rehabilitation of the girls, and improving those things also in Nepal as well.
It is a sad situation and I am not surprised but thank you for bringing it to the forefront and my attention. Cheers...see you Thursday.
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