The Times of India, in its Dec 3rd edition, had published a profile of Ajmal Amir, the 21-year old captured terrorist. The story was quite predictable – a young lad from a very poor family, takes to the life of crime easily to escape form the life of drudgery etc. Running away from home after tiffs with his father and ending up in a life of deceit and crime.

It is obvious that the boy was in the camp less out of religious loyalty than for the seductive lure of the modern trappings promised him. But what is appalling is that the boy was given a very warm welcome and even treated with respect by his family and community when he visited home during a short break in his training at the LeT camp.

What were his parents doing? They must have been aware of where the boy had been and what he had been up to. In a land, where young boys being whisked away to join such camps is almost routine, it is hard to believe that they were ignorant of the source of boy’s sudden opulence. How could they let their child join such activities, knowing fully well that the end result would be a gory death or worse, torture if caught. Were they blinded by the religious fanaticism, or was it the lucre of money that they felt would get them out of their misery.

Here, too there are cases of children running away from home either with dreams to join Bollywood or just to get away from their circumstances. But, I’m sure if they return, they would never have been allowed to leave again. If they did, then they would have been disowned. The records from juvenile rescue centers show that either the children are taken back or else totally disowned. But, I’m sure no sensible and responsible parent would willingly let their child return to such an environment.

It is not just the boys – we also frequently hear of young girls sold to rich Arab men, usually far elder to even the parents for hefty amounts. It is only when they are apprehended at the airports that a big hue and cry is created by the family and neighbors and a case of kidnapping is slapped against the buyer.

The lowest income group in society is an abundant source for such recruits and is well exploited by militant groups. The huge family size with a large number of children resulting in more number of mouths to feed is a source of despair and misery to the parents.

They cannot afford to educate them; forget education, it is almost impossible to even keep track of the whereabouts of the children who take to the streets for lack of space at home. These folk form colonies and chawls. The environment is very conducive to crime and children grow up quickly far earlier than their age. The only method to control this deplorable condition is to educate the people about family planning and control.

They argue that children are god’s gift and they have no right to go against god’s will. They quote religious text in support of their large family size and are totally against contraception in any form. But, if they really consider children to be divine gifts, why are they not taking care of them and instead letting them out loose on the wild and unsafe streets without bothering about their welfare. All of us accept god’s gift (Prasad/chadav etc.).

We are very careful when we accept it, we are very careful not to let it fall on the ground even by mistake, we will accept it only if we are clean and have had a bath. All this care for a piece of eatable/trinket/cloth/ash etc. Why is there not the same care and diligence for the divine gift in the form of the human child?
It was reported that the LeT promised the family with a reward amount of Rs.1.5 lakh.

Is this the value of their child? I don’t know about the parent’s perspective. He was also god’s gift, so why did they let him into such an environment, letting him perform such dastardly acts against humanity. There does not seem to be any trace of remorse or repentance about the act.

The fate of the boy is doomed. But, the parents have been promised the reward and hopefully, they may get it. Who knows the younger son, Munir who is 11 years, may also be allowed to travel the same path as Ajmal. Maybe the reward this time could be higher. Who knows?

P.S. I would strongly recommend viewing of the movie “Khuda Ke Liye” which was directed by a pakistani. It had a message for the youngsters, who are easily influenced and misled by selfish and narrow-minded persons.