Children’s ‘Parliament’ in Varanasi

Over one thousand children from the city will form a parliament of their own to take up issues concerning them.

The children will also contest elections, and about 14 of them filed their nominations on Wednesday.

The initiative will be one of the largest platforms to bring all the issues related to children.

Speaking to mediapersons here, Rajeev Shrivastav, president Vishal Bharat Sansthan- the NGO that has engendered the initiative- said that the move would train children to become ‘good’ politicians.

“In India there are colleges for each and every subject, but there is no school for people who wish to become a politician. So you can see this school will help to nurture good politicians, because there is dearth of good politicians in India,” Shrivastav said.

Children have taken up issues like education, poverty and hunger in their election manifestos, and have been divided into three parties; the Bal Vikas Party, Bal Janata Party and the Bhartiya Baccha Party.

The parties will adhere to all the rules that are followed during the national elections.

The contestants promised to weed out social problems being faced by children.

“If I will win the elections then I will try to solve the problems of other children and will ensure that those children who are not able to get admissions, they are also send to school,” Afreen, a Bal Janata Party candidate, claimed.

Independent candidates can also file their nominations and three polling booths will be set up for the elections.

A Child Security Force has been set up to ensure free and fair elections.

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