From the mouths of babes...

Do we need a Statue of Unity?

The Statue of Unity, the tallest statue in the world, is a homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the man who united India and the first deputy Prime Minister of India. Making the statue employed 250 engineers and 3,400 labourers over 45 months and burnt a hole worth Rs 2,989 crore ($420 million) in the government's pockets.

Though Patel symbolises the solidarity of the Indian state, the construction of the statue raises several concerns, the principal of which is that Rs 200 crore was allotted in the Union Budget (2014-15) for its construction, rather than into welfare schemes. No, the country does not need a Statue of Unity at a time when our political leaders care more about tearing apart the unity in order to curry votes for elections. It needs true unity, amongst different regions and different religions; it needs a government that thinks of the overall good and people who can think about each other just as much as they think about themselves.
– Tanya Gupta, 15, Delhi

Does India need a Bullet train?

No. The land and capital required for this project can be utilised more judiciously. The current conditions of the Indian Railways are not something to boast about and on top of it, investing a whopping sum of Rs 1.1 lakh crore on getting a bullet train is uncalled for. Almost everyday, people die from train accidents. The tracks and bridges are outdated. The rate of delayed trains is increasing by the day. The number of people travelling without the tickets is more than ever. There are no clean toilets and pantries. Though this bullet train will take you to places faster, the fares will be too expensive. A plane takes about 45 minutes and costs between Rs 1, 200 to Rs 3,000 to travel from Ahmedabad to Mumbai, whereas the bullet train will cost about Rs 3,500 according to the given estimate. I can only imagine the amount of land that will be taken away from the farmers without proper compensation. In my view, the government should give up this project and focus on improving the Indian Railways.
– Arushi Chhibber, 14, Delhi

Has India completely accepted the LGBTQ+ community?

Section 377 that previously criminalised the sexual activities that are considered 'against the law of nature' was finally decriminalised on September 6, 2018. It was a step ahead for us as a nation. But why is it that we still hear about people of this community being shunned by society, kicked out of their homes, losing their jobs and even being kicked out of the military? Why is it that I can't seem to go one day without hearing another suicide or hate crime? We have come a long way as a nation when it comes to acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community, but ignorance and hatred still thrives and lives on in the closed minds of over half of our population. There is so much more we, as a nation, need to do and overcome. Everyone should be treated equally. The LGBTQ+ community isn't asking for more rights, they are just asking for the ones that let them be treated like
humans.
– Anshika Verma, 15, Delhi

Should penguins and huskies be allowed in India?

No. India is very hot. Both the penguins and huskies need to be in a very cold place where there is ice. So they won't like it and may die. I have watched parts of the movie, Happy Feet. Those penguins staying in the North Pole, that is very icy and cold, looked very happy dancing over there. I've seen pictures of huskies. They look cute. I love their fur and some of them have purple and black eyes! I like how the penguins walk, their flat feet, their black shiny skin. I find them fascinating, but I will feel very sad to see them dying in this heat. I heard in India, people keep them in AC rooms thinking that these animals will get used to this. But they don't. Even AC is not enough. We should not keep them in India. They should be kept in Iceland and the North Pole. So I won't keep them as pets till I stay in India.
— Nathan Serrao, 7, Mumbai

Is there ethical treatment of animals in India?

I love all animals like dogs, cats, elephants, giraffes and colourful birds like parrots, peacocks and lovebirds. They're so beautiful to look at and so loving. But in our country, I don't think we love animals enough. We are not doing everything we can to protect them. I think we can do a better job at looking out for them. We are told that there are so many animals dying everyday like Tigress Avni. Most of them [these species] are nearing extinction. I've been to Borivali National Park and the animals there looked so sad and dead or like they were going to die soon. We shouldn't put animals in zoos [captivity]. We need more natural sanctuaries so animals can roam around freely in their natural habitats. We should also have better laws, and food centres for stray dogs that also give them vaccinations. We need more love to give these animals and take care of them properly. I would be the happiest when I see more animals and birds in India!
– Asher Athaide, 11, Bengaluru

What are your views on body shaming?

Body shaming is a very serious problen nowadays. The people with pretty and perfect bodies think it is a joke, but I don't think so! I think it is time that we stop body shaming. This kind of teasing is extremely harmful for the people who go through it every second of the day. For us, it is just a normal way of teasing but for them, every moment of their day is difficult and at night, they fall asleep thinking they are just not good enough. It is a shame for us! So I summarise my opinion stating that this should be stopped right away.
— Hrishita Pawar, 9, Mumbai

Was it right to kill Tigeress Avni?

In August, I heard papa tell mamma about Avni, the tigress mom. He told us about her cubs and how she was trying to protect them by attacking anyone who came near them.

I have seen tigers in the Mysore zoo where the mother was roaring angrily when the cub was separated for the doctor to check. It reminded me of the time Mamma fought bitterly with a man at the mall who pushed a shopping trolley at me without looking and knocked me down.

Tigers can't talk, so Avni was only doing what she can best to protect her cubs. Yet she was killed. Is this how grownups think?

I am nine and still can't sleep till mamma pats and puts an arm around me. How will Avni's little cubs sleep? Who will feed and guard them now?
– Tanvi Pawar, 9, Mumbai

Have you learnt to say no [consent]?

The first time I heard the idea of 'saying no' is called consent was when I went to watch the film Pink with my parents and sister in the theatre. Before that, I always thought that if someone didn't like something, or if they didn't want to do something, they can choose to say no, and it is a decision that no amount of persuading can change. After the movie, my elder sister explained more about consent. She told me she saw a video online that explained consent like a cup of hot tea and how if someone says no, you can't force them to drink hot tea. Or that if they are unsure about drinking tea, don't pressurise them. She also told me how saying yes should be enthusiastic and not forced. As in someone needs to willingly say yes to drink the hot tea, not say yes thinking about what the other person will think. It is still a difficult subject and I am asking my sister as I write this, but I will learn more soon.
— Anushree Shelar, 12, Mumbai