Begging is a Crime! Then Why Kudla is a Haven of Beggars?

Begging is a Crime! Then Why Kudla is a Haven of Beggars?

Mangaluru: This seems like a “We Don’t Practice What We Preach” kind of story. “We need to make Mangaluru a Beggar-Free City”-had said the then DC AB Ibrahim talking to media persons during a press meet on Sept 25, 2014, whose aim was to bring control over the increasing number of beggars in the district. Months and years have passed since the then DC had promised to eradicate beggary, but it looks like beggars are increasing day by day in Mangaluru, and many are getting into fights/alcoholism etc. and creating a havoc and inconveniences to the public. Not just adults, children are forced to beg on behalf of their parents.

Through this report, I want to bring to the attention of the present DC Dr Jagadeesh and other concerned authorities to do a follow up on what was discussed during Sept 25, 2014, meeting and see into the growing menace of beggars in the City. Yes, and not only begging but also providing to the beggars is a crime. So on another hand if you are giving money to the beggar then it is a crime too. And this is as per our Indian Laws. If you note, there are really very few who actually beg for a cause like their disability, old-age or real urgent needs [these situations come when someone is in the hospital and I have been witness to it but that is a different story].

Begging has become a profession and these who beg to have a whole family that are doing the same begging. Later they go to extend their family by marrying giving birth to children and then to have more to beg. You entertaining one beggar, means you let him/her make their family give birth to a few more and get them begging on roads or temples too. One more dimension to it is anti-social elements. When you provide to a young beggar because of ease of getting provided they get into drugs then their wants increase then they start pick-pocketing then robbing and then even killing at a stage. It’s not that these elements are only born here but, this is one source.

Can any one of you say boldly that there are no beggars in Mangaluru? It is our hoary tradition that every holy place off all religions in Mangaluru is full of beggars. People give alms and feel relieved that they have done some punya. Nobody needs to be hungry. Hundreds of poor in the local areas can live on it for days together. But most other places, it is different. Let us also look at the root causes of begging. A part of a tradition that does not look at it as demeaning, there is a large number of poor Indians. Also, serious health problems to an earning member of the poor family can knock them out of even subsistence levels. Of course, there are some who have made begging a profession.

One crucial governance issue before the nation is to create opportunities for productive employment and income generation for the millions of poor and also preparing them in advance with necessary skills. This has to be a continual process. Are we ready? Especially the now powerful and vocal middle class? Or should we be inventing or discovering a Satan every week for national flogging through media? Beggary has become a regular feature in Mangaluru. We see beggars at bus stands, railway platforms, hospitals, markets and traffic lights. They can be seen at other places also. Even healthy people are seen begging. Small children are also pushed into beggary. Beggary has become a profession and even able-bodied persons do not want to earn their bread by doing manual work.

Many beggars are professional pick-pockets and thieves. Many incidents of chain-snatching and purse-lifting are reported at traffic lights. Yes, beggars have increased in the city and people are facing problems, beggars are troubling the citizens and we need to stop this. And that Mangaluru has the lowest population growth in the country. Beggars come from other districts and states to Mangaluru. When they come here they also bring all kinds of diseases like Malaria, AIDS/HIV, Tuberculosis, etc No progress has been done by the administration to eradicate beggary.

Beggars are seen lying/sleeping on the footpath/shop entrances/bus-stands, temples/mosques/churches etc, some fallen drunk in front of wine shops/bars or in gutters. There’s wine shop located in Felix Pai Bazar, off Ganapathi HS Road, where you can see beggars early in the morning (around 7 am) sipping on alcohol. It’s indeed sad to see so many beggars in a growing city like Mangaluru, and when tourists/foreigners visit this city they never miss clicking pictures of beggars and take back memories of Mangaluru having a bad impression of this coastal town. It’s time that the City authorities act quickly to eradicate beggars or provide an alternative for them.

To one of my earlier article on Beggars, we had received few comments- like Thomas D’Souza from the USA wrote- “Begging must be barred by law, and laws must be set in force and implemented to stop this social nuisance. People in real need of social care or money can always get help from so many charitable institutions and churches whose aim is to help the poor and the needy. Ladies are No.1 beggars, and they employ children to beg too at Bus stands, etc. In Udupi, there is a big syndicate operating as beggars. One can see on the K,M Marg Udupi and near Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, ladies with tiny infants tied to their waist going after people asking for money. Other beggars are those that are totally crippled – who are actually dropped off at a particular junction close to malls and supermarkets. The above two cases are organized begging. One will never be alleviated their poverty nor their misery – this is their profession – Easy Money. The people in authority should be after these beggars 365 days to truly eliminate this trend, that would be a blessing”.

Joe D’Souza, a regular fan of Mangalorean.com from the city commented, ” DC Ibrahim had suggested all these things with good intention for a betterment of Mangaluru and its’ Citizens. The Sad part is that whoever is suppose to do these things are not doing, and do not care either. City Planning is one example. Health dept is another. Engineering is third one.”. Sujith commented , “Beggars are not who are begging on the road… they are sometimes far better than some people in the administration… they are worst then beggars at time and they will work double strength when u declare of clearing of files on sat and sun with double pay and take a comp off … on week day “. Nanac Shetty Kinnigoly had his point, ” Beggars sitting inside the Govt offices are dangerous than the harmless ones begging on the streets”.

Our website had also reported 2-3 deaths of beggars/homeless people on the city footpaths. These people were ignored and left to die a human-less way. Yes, it is sad when people die. The death of poor/beggars gets buried under gross statistics. Hunger of poor people gets lost in public debates by well fed Indians. Discussions over food security bill make a sad reading. Passed, in whatever form, it is likely to get buried under the dreary deserts of our public administration. Why? Are our administrators by their very nature, callous, heartless thieves? Incapable, incompetent idiots?

In conclusion, the authorities should seriously consider this menace and steps should be taken to put a complete ban on beggary in Mangaluru. The then DC Ibrahim had also advised the DSWD officer to appoint doctors on contract or regular basis, and also conduct continuous awareness drive- but are the officials doing it is the number one question that needs to be asked? In the temples, Mosques and Churches the Muzrai department should not allow beggars to beg. To make Mangalore as the beggar-free city, we need the support from all the NGOs and various Institutions. My earnest request to DC Dr Jagadeesh, MCC Mayor Harinath and other concerned authorities to look into this beggar menace in the City very seriously, and come up with a plan to make “Mangaluru a Beggar-Free City”- if not it will get much more worse in the coming days!