A beggar on a street of Nagpur is not a common sight nowadays. The red traffic light is a green signal for the beggars to swamp the commuters on two wheelers and four wheelers. Some start cleaning the car windows without consent, others pull and grab you to draw your attention towards them. Then starts begging for money and only money. Any other offering such as food, clothing or even work is rarely accepted.
Helpless Beggars
Such portrayal of a beggar is polarising. Some may get infuriated by it as in their opinion begging is any human being's last resort and can be done only after killing one's ego and self respect.
Beggars are not skilled enough to get a well paid job and even manual labour does not guarantee regular income. Hence the only option left for them is begging. They are deprived of food, clothing and shelter and giving them monetary help is nothing but a service to the society.
Beggars or Freeloaders?
Others may argue with an opposing view saying that a fully fit person should work, even if the work is as menial as sweeping. There is always a scarcity of people who are willing to do jobs such as sweeping, cleaning, puncture repair etc. and one can get an opportunity of manual labour anywhere as jobs are plenty for such low income positions. Also, if there is such a dire requirement of basic things such as food, clothing and shelter, then why do most beggars refuse to accept anything other than money. Begging has become a business and people are forced to beg on the streets.
Both of these opposing views have strong arguments. While unemployment is at its peak in our country, it is also true that requirements for manual labour at construction sites and for other menial jobs are always available. Giving money away without work to beggars will only fuel begging, however these individuals struggle to provide a meal a day to their family and giving them money once in a while is a true service to humanity.
A Way Out
The arguments and debates are endless but there doesn't seem to be an end to people begging on the streets. The beggars are without skills and clueless about avenues to find work opportunities. It is worse for the physically or mentally disabled as they are at the mercy of people who can afford to pay them or NGO’s. Every now and then a drive is carried out to clean up the streets of beggars. Sadly, it is relocating these poor souls to some remote location so that the city centre looks beggar free. There is no provision made to upskill or employ these individuals .Eventually their place is taken by new beggars.
Every beggar on the street is one step back for the city of Nagpur and India as a country on the road of progress. To keep moving forward, it is essential that beggars must first be treated as humans and then must be given a source of income for a cleaner city and future.
Comments