The Begging Bowl

As for the legal definition of a beggar, let’s have a glimpse to the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959 which defines this as anyone “having no visible means of subsistence, and wandering about or remaining in any public place in such condition or manner, as makes it likely that the person doing so exists by soliciting or receiving alms”. Besides, the definition of Begging under the 1959 Act includes “soliciting or receiving alms in a public place, whether or not under any pretence of singing, dancing, fortune-telling, performing or offering any article for sale”.

India is home to half a million of beggars and if we also add up those who occasionally beg, the number would swell to few millions. At signals, bus stops, railway stations, at every nook and corner of city, town and village, they are ubiquitous. The notified reasons of high begging population are the poverty in the country, deep seated religious superstitions and unwillingness of people to earn their bread by hard work. Many a times, Inspite of showing any concern on the pathetic condition of the beggars, people give them money in order to get rid of them. However some are actually in such a pitiable state that evokes sympathy and compassion and makes us to give them alms. Some people with religious superstitions looking for short cuts to heaven by giving ‘daana' to accumulate 'punya' find it reasonable to feed them. When young and stout people are getting food, clothes and money without doing anything, they starts developing reluctance in doing even small work. Begging for them is not necessity rather it becomes their profession (they can be easily spotted near temples ☺).

It is very difficult to generalise how and where panhandling begins in the life of a beggar. Some inherited it from their ancestors, other starts begging upon evacuation from their place due to war, riots or natural calamity. While elderly, disabled, unemployed, homeless form one part of the begging population, unfortunate children and women victimised by Organised Begging Mafia are another part this community. Organized begging is one of the most visible forms of human trafficking—and it's largely financed and assisted by good-hearted people who just want to help. By doing so we are not only making the children beggars for life but also lending a helping hand to these flourishing begging mafia. This money goes to the masters of these gangs and cycle of crime keep going. If we look at the official statistics, roughly 60,000 children disappear each year in India. While Slumdog Millionaire, the upbeat award-winning film about impoverished children has won international acclaim, the reality of disappeared youngsters in real life is grim. Human Commission of India in 2002-2003, presented a report on Trafficking of Women and Children in India. As abstracted from the report, stolen children are used for “Working as cheap forced labour in illegal factories, establishments, homes, exploited as child beggars (sometimes accompanied with amputation of limbs) in begging rackets, as victims of illegal adoptions or forced marriages, or perhaps, worse than any of these, as victims of organ trade and even grotesque cannibalism”. Evidently when trafficked children get too old to beg effectively, they often graduate into forced prostitution, the black-market organ trade, or other gruesome fates. In Delhi itself, an estimation of child beggars roaming on the streets of different areas is approx 30,000, and most targeted age group is between 3 to 8 years. So when we, well-intentioned people, give money directly to child beggars, there’s a decent chance we’re actually lining the pockets of criminals who will turn around and use that money to abduct, enslave, rape, torture, and maim even more kids.

Helping Hands for the betterment and rehabilitation of beggars:

The Constitution of India guarantees citizens fundamental rights to life, dignity, speech & expression, education and information, all that applies to beggars as well. As beggars are government’s responsibility, The Prevention of Beggary Act, 1945 is provided for detention and employment of beggars and their dependents in work-houses or special homes, and for their custody, trial and punishment. Since the 1945 Act was focused solely on eradication, in 1964 it was amended to introduce a rehabilitation clause. In June, 1971, the government introduced a scheme to remove beggars from the social fabric and provide means to rehabilitate them. A beggar rehabilitation fund was started, which mopped up a decent Rs 1.09 crore. The Juvenile Aid Police (JAP) Unit has also been rescuing children wandering in public places and rehabilitating them. The JAP has been in place since 1960 and has been rescuing children and reuniting them with their families.

Even if many non-government organisations and social welfare schemes aim to eradicate begging, begging for professional beggars and child beggars is like ‘old habits die hard’. Many times the child beggars taken to govt. facilities, to break the curse through education, sold all their books, uniform, pencils etc. and found back on the same streets. Things can be looked after in different way for those who are hard to crack eggs. As for the children, education is the key. If they prefer doing something with their hands rather than to study, they must be encouraged in finding out their interests and building their vocation. Above all, they must be provided with good food, clothes, hygienic and friendly environment that would cater to their mental and overall growth. Some NGOs are also working on the concept of Child Care (Bachpan Bachao).

Find an inventive, responsible way to be kind:
Don't encourage giving alms to the stout and able bodied beggars. It encourages idleness, inactivity, produces parasites and wastes a sizeable amount of human power. Also avoid giving money to the children rather find an inventive and responsible way if you genuinely wants to help. Teach them some skill like braiding with colourful ribbon, applying Henna or tattoos. Teaching them reading and writing would be an excellent way of helping out those unprivileged children. If you are a doctor or have excess to the medical facilities, providing them medical help like vaccination, dressing their wounds, mineral deficiency treatments (iron, calcium) would be a great and required act to show kindness. Don't give direct monetary help to the children, always route it through one of the many social welfare organisation like Mother Teresa Home. Its better to make them do some work and then give them reward. Instead of money flow towards temples and Babas you can give 50 rupees to a beggar to clean the stairs of that temple or clean the street near the temple where people throw a lot of garbage. If nothing is possible from your end, just try to speak to them as kindly as possible, explain them the value of education, good sanitary practices, and how they can make their life better. Lookout for government programmes, NGOs in these areas, helpline numbers and all related information, educate yourself and others. That shall help the unfortunate beggars to look at a life away from begging

Under Corporate Social Responsibilities, major corporate houses of India can take the lead in collaboration with institutions like Missionaries of Charity. Upon identification and sorting of beggars on the bases of health and age per district/area, they can be given permanent shelter, health care facilities and food. Nothing is valued given free so provide them vocational training on weaving clothes on loom, art, crafts, and handicrafts and so on with the help of mechanizsssed / semi-mechanized machines and indulge them in production of value products. Now come the responsibility of government in promotion of their services like these products can be duty free, help in easing their export, promotion can be done through stalls at gatherings (of International delegates), trade fares and govt. outlets and in many more ways.


So, can begging be ever eradicated? Let us look at it this way. The fight against corruption goes on at multiple levels and with varied intensities although it continues to survive. If the Executive has the will, it can definitely find a way to deal with beggary. All we have to do is to perform our bit of responsibility towards making India a proud land. After all, beggars are a shame to any cultured society that has pretensions to modernity.