Begging problem

Sir — This refers to the editorial, “Begging the question” (August 10). The fact remains that barring a few exceptions who don’t desire to work hard for their meals, each and every beggar seeks alms out of sheer helplessness. Many of them are handicapped, vulnerable senior citizens, orphans or children of the poorest of the poor section of the society.

Far from ensuring adequate rehabilitation or protection of this helpless lot, the ‘progressive’ brigade has been simply asking begging to be abolished.

Yes, we should indeed feel ashamed to witness begging on the streets and public spaces. But our ire needs to be directed at the concerned authorities who, far from ensuring the welfare of the citizens as its first priority, not only allocate/squander precious money on mass missions like yoga, gigantic statues/flags, Saraswati rejuvenation’ project, film festivals among others, but waste no time to play to the gallery by linking India’s ‘elitism’ and ‘might’ with the attainment of Mars orbit and public exhibition of yoga respectively.

What a crude and brute way to highlight India’s progress and development so as to sweep all ills of acute poverty — malnutrition, hunger, begging, illiteracy, child labour and human trafficking under the nationalist carpet.

It seems, the anti-beggar lobby is similarly asking for begging to be abolished so as to ensure India’s skewed sense of progress does not get blatantly exposed in front of the eyes of the international community. More than five million beggars have made their presence felt throughout the length and breadth of this country.