Kamlesh's Story : The 13-year-old Kid Addicted To Drugs

The kid in the photograph above is Kamlesh, a 13-year-old drug addict. But you might probably recognize him as the 'Solution' or 'Soluchan' kid as popularized by memes and viral parody videos.

Such memes and parody videos are regularly shared on my WhatsApp groups and it bothers me greatly when people post, share and have a laugh while reading these memes and watching these videos without even having the slightest decency or concern to look up the story behind them. Social media and this culture of memifying each and everything are increasingly leading to feelings of insensitivity, hollowness and the loss of empathy where people are ready to post insensitive memes and remix music videos of Kamlesh's interview to get some attention, views, likes, and shares on YouTube and social media. 

Kamlesh's Story

Kamlesh, now an internet sensation for the wrong reasons, is a 13-year-old drug addicted boy. He ran away from his hometown Bhopal and has been taking drugs in the form of solution for the past 2-3 years. In his interview, he revealed that he started with smoking 'beedi' (cheap cigarette) and then moved onto 'tube' and then subsequently to 'solution'. He also said that he makes around 100-125 Rupees a day and spent around 30 Rupees on food and rest on buying 'solution'. He makes his money by picking bottles and selling scrap garbage. 

The solution that Kamlesh talks about in his interview is the whitener solution used as a correction fluid for whitening the errors while writing. Whitener addiction is on the rise among teens as the toluene and trichloroethane present in it intoxicate and affect the central nervous system upon inhalation. It has a similar effect as that of alcohol but it is much more harmful and often referred to as 'white poison'.

A whitener solution being used as a drug.

Further in the interview, when Kamlesh is asked about missing his mother, he replies that he does not wish to go back to his mother as she would never allow him to have the 'solution'. He further adds that the drug was more important to him than his mother and it was the thing that he loved the most in the world. He also tells the reporter about his other addictions like consuming beedi, alcohol, cigarette, and weed regularly.

When asked about his dreams and ambitions, he wishes to sell scrap, buy the solution, drink, and play.  He also says that he gets sick and vomits blood when he is unable to get his solution

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and LG Anil Baijal have offered to help Kamlesh after the memes went viral.

The Villains Of Kamlesh's Story

1. The Insensitive Press:

• A free press is the foundation of a democracy. But, when the press loses its ethics and every print media house is involved blindly in a race chasing higher TRP Ratings, the foundation starts shaking and loses ground.
• The reporter's insensitive questions, inconsiderate attitude, and unsympathetic replies are a reflection that he considers his role as a conscious human being much beneath his job as a reporter. He asks Kamlesh how to prepare the solution and is seen telling him that he'd die, but never tries to stop him, have a friendly conversation with him about the adverse effects of his addictions nor offers any help to him nor takes him to a hospital. 

2. Social Media:

• 'Like, Comment and Share' probably these are three of the most powerful tools in the year 2017. Social media pages and YouTube channels don't really care about a kid's sufferings, as for them the kid is just a way of getting attention, views, likes, and shares.
• Memes are funny, entertaining and really important in this modern age for sharing a quick laugh, but sometimes they tend to hurt people's sentiments, memify sensitive issues and sometimes ruin people's lives.   

3. Political Parties:

• These kids never vote, why should we even bother to make promises for their well-being. Their lives are so insignificant, why even care to take a look at their problems. Why promise them a roof, better living standards, better quality of education and healthcare when in fact they would never vote for you. Street children, nah!! They don't count as human beings, so why treat them that way?

Kamlesh is just one of those thousands of street children with no roof over their heads, living a dismal life and addicted to drugs which help them have a good night's sleep among their life which is full of atrocities.

They say kids are the country's future and kids like Kamlesh should also play a role in shaping the future of the country by giving them access to quality education, healthcare and better standards of living.

We can play a small part on our sides by simply not sharing these memes and videos, helping such kids and seeking rehabilitation for them. 

CHILDLINE India Foundation is India's first foundation that provides a 24-hour helpline for children in distress. It is a non-government organization (NGO) which stands for Child Protection and Child Rights. Their helpline number is 1098 which is a toll-free number accessible 24/7.

That's it with the post. Be sure to subscribe and follow the blog for future posts and comment down your views and suggestions.

Keep reading and keep smiling:)