Having more than a decade old law to deal with begging for way too long, the city is drafting a more ‘humane’ legislation incorporating various welfare schemes. In order to handle the condition of beggars in a more sensitive manner, the government plans to facilitate various welfare measures like vocational training, rehabilitation and providing shelters. With the government planning to facilitate easing out of beggars in an organised way, Delhiites share a few suggestions.
Sunita Kakkar, a teacher who is involved in charity work, says, “Most of us are aware that begging like any other business is run by highly organised mafia groups and is a big industry in itself. And these people have links with cops. There has to be a body that looks into it. The mafia is destroying innocent lives, and moves like shelter homes won’t help. You need to address the root cause of the problem.”
If you ask NGOs, they complain that with thousands of migrants coming to Delhi in search of livelihoods, some are forced to beg and there are not many homes for them. Says Shipra Yadav, a 21-year-old, who has worked with NGOs, “How many homes do you actually think Delhi has to accommodate hundreds of beggars? Rehabilitation is needed and more than anything else, we need people who can give them vocational training. In a city where beggars were swiftly ‘cleared’ ahead of the CWG, what will a new law do?”
Youngsters feel that Delhi has to be more sensitive towards beggars. “You can’t treat a beggar shabbily. I often see cops mistreating them. They are beaten up, they live on the road, under bridges and drugs are supplied to them to keep them hooked. You have to first recognise them as human beings, the rest will come later,” says Richa Nathani, an engineering student.