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A beggar is one who asks for alms or charity or performs such actions which derive sympathy from others and who give something in return.

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You just can’t escape the beggars. They are everywhere. On the streets, at every traffic signal, at every temple, at all entertainment places, from towns to big metropolises - Indian beggars are omnipotent and unstoppable. Comment in Sulekha.com

Beggary: A Challenging National Problem

Dr. (Capt) DVP Raja MA DSSA PhD DLitt Founder & Director

Madurai Institute of Social Sciences Madurai-Tamilnadu

I. Beggary is a symptom of individual and social disorganization. In India begging is an age old profession. How the age old social system sustained and adopted to the time is a serious question to be answered. The great law giver Manu approved it and explained two classes of people - one as givers and the other as receivers. If a beggar is a receiver then he is not a nuisance to others but provides an opportunity to give.

Living by alms is only permitted during certain stages and conditions. Particularly in Tamilnadu, the history indicates that the ancient kings encouraged a culture around temples (i.e) to do the temple construction work and accept the food given by the temples. This system encouraged the able bodied people to beg and adopt the profession of begging in due course. Then the concept of dependency had come into existence.

It also created the scrupulous persons and they adopt cruel practices just to win sympathy of the people. Then begging had become an activity of crime. What is Crime? Crime is an act in violation of the law. In other words it is also an act against the social norms.

Box 1 "Hinduism and Islam, the two principal religions [of India], encourage begging, since they enjoin their followers to support beggars. Both religions extol the contemplative life, especially that of the religious mendicant, which encourages the emergence of large numbers of both genuine and bogus religious mendicants." PT BAUER pointed out that, in India, there were no Sikh, Parsi or Jain beggars – because these communities discourage beggary (a blot on the entire community), encourage self-help, and practice collective charity effectively. Among the Sikhs, for example, the Gurudwara hosts a daily langar where any poor person is free to eat to his heart’s content. But with it comes a positive motivational factor: the same poor man is encouraged to go out, struggle, earn a living, and one day host a langar of his own for the poor. There is also a negative motivational factor: if any Sikh is found begging, other Sikhs will come and beat him up! The question: Who is a true friend of the poor and who is an enemy begins to look more complex as we scratch the surface of Third World poverty and look at phenomena like widespread beggary with a more critical eye. PT BAUER

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II. Those who make a living by begging, whatever be the cause or causes, or the techniques used by them, are also human beings with ‘feelings’ just like any other human being in any other stratum of society. Beggary, it may be noted, transcends the barriers

of caste, creed, color, geographical areas and even language. The beggar problem is not a localized or an isolated one. The incidence of begging may vary from one part of the country to another; but, it is found throughout the country. Human beings, as we know, are basically the same everywhere. The necessities of life (food, cloth and shelter) are the same for all of them. Besides, if they are to be enabled to be socially useful and economically productive beings, if they are to be enabled to develop a sense of human dignity and self-nourishment for their physical, mental and moral growth also becomes necessary. There cannot be any justification, however small it or they might be, in any country or town to whom these vital things are either hard to get or completely out of reach.

Box 2 Very few studies have been done on beggary in India,” says Sneh Lata Tandon, who heads Delhi School of Social Work (DSSW) and completed a survey on 5,003 beggars in 2007. The DSSW surveyors came across 10 graduates and postgraduates who supplement monthly income by begging over the weekends. The line that separates beggars from the casual poor is getting slimmer in a country where one in every four goes to bed hungry every night and 78 million are homeless. Over 71 per cent (compared to just 34 per cent in 1959) of Delhi’s beggars are driven by poverty. No wonder, 66 per cent beggars are able-bodied. “Begging as a livelihood wins over casual labor,” says Tandon. “For 96 per cent, the average daily income is Rs 80, more than what daily-wage earners can make.” Spending patterns are also telling: 27 per cent beggars spend Rs 50-Rs 100 a day. In a decade since 1991, their number has gone up by a lakh. There are some 60,000 beggars in Delhi, reports DSSW; over 3,00,000 in Mumbai, according to a 2004 Action Aid report; nearly 75,000 in Kolkata, says the Beggar Research Institute—the world’s only; 56,000 in Bangalore, according to police records. In Hyderabad, one in every 354 people is engaged in begging, found out the Council of Human Welfare in 2005. In every Indian city, they are anywhere a fly could land—in rubbish dumps, at the road’s edge, on traffic islands, under flyovers. The frail, the crippled and the mentally ill share space with children, women and able-bodied men. Mumbai is the Mecca of beggars. According to the Maharashtra Government, they are worth Rs 180 crore a year, with daily income ranging between Rs 20-Rs 80. Three of the richest beggars—Haji, Massu and Bharat Jain—allegedly have assets ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 70 lakh. They earn up to Rs 200 a day and live with families where no one else begs. Jain’s family deals in school stationery, Massu’s sons are hawkers and Haji’s family earns a steady income from zari embroidery work. They beg, despite family pressure to give it up. When the Manav Sena Trust of Mumbai approached 98 beggars with jobs, all of them turned down the offers as being less remunerative India Today Jan 25 2008

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Box 3 Types of Beggars Able Bodied Adult Beggars Able Bodied Child Beggars Hereditary Beggars Sick and Diseased Beggars Physically Disabled Beggars Mentally Deficient Beggars Old Aged Beggars Religious Mendicants Beggars

Causes of Beggary: Box 4 There cannot be one particular cause of beggary. But it is due to multiple factors. The main factors are economic, social, biological, religious and others.

A B C D E Economic Causes Social Biological Religious Others Poverty Unemployment & under employment Loss of Business

Family disorganization Family Break down Break-up of joint family system Migration Caste Custom

Sickness/ Disease Disability/ Infirmity/Old age Mentally Illness/ Cripple

Religious mendicancy Alms giving Charity in Temple/ Mosques Churches

Parental compulsion Ashrama System Criminalization of beggary

III. Studies had been undertaken about these unfortunate groups even during 60s in which I participated as a student in Coimbatore town. I personally found men and women, infants and children, adults and aged, and diseased and disabled, leading a highly deplorable life. They live, with equanimity, in squalor with their infants and children. Rain or shine, the only available roof over the heads of most of them is the clouded or clear sky. To annoy others or to be annoyed is in their daily routine. They eat whatever they can get and whenever they get, depending on the disposition of others. The unattended sick among them get either cured or claimed by nature. Even the innate spark of human dignity and self-respect has, perforce, become extinct in them. They seem to be, in a sense, even outside the pale of our constitution since they cannot establish their

right to franchise. This pattern of their ignoble life goes on and on. Begging, it is to be noted, is a problem unto those who beg, unto their children and dependents and to the rest of the society. How to get alms and in needed quantity, where to take shelter or rest the weary body, how to support the dependents, etc., constitute the problem for the beggars

themselves; lack of nourishing food, and at the times most needed, for proper growth, to live in filth and become almost a part of it, lack of facilities for education or play, lack of clothes to dress like other children, to be shunned by the children of non-beggars, etc. constitute the problem for their children; and to give or not to give, what to give and how much to give, the annoyance from the persisting and insisting types of beggars, etc. constitute the problem to the rest of the society. The sick among the beggars add to the public health problem as well. The problem of these groups becomes aggravated by the emotional or psychological components, resulting in additional problems unto themselves and others.

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T.1. Age of Beggars Age Number % < 5 198 13.00 6 – 10 142 9.32 11 – 15 46 3.02 16 – 20 49 3.22 21 – 25 49 3.22 26 – 30 147 9.65 31 – 35 187 12.27 36 – 40 177 11.62 41 – 45 150 9.85 46 – 50 130 8.54 51 – 55 100 6.57 56 – 60 91 5.98 61 > 57 3.74 Total 1,523 100.00

The most striking feature of the above table is children 5 years and under, constitute the largest single group and all the children, 15 years of age and under constitute 25.34% of the total beggar population. Another painful observation is that, 43.39% of the beggar population is in the age group of 26-45 years, the most productive period in one’s life

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20

35 35

2 2

2 2 1 1

1 2 3 M F 1.Like to beg

M F 2.Do not like to beg M F 3.No Response D.1. Attitude of Beggars

Towards Begging The diagram reveals that 37 males (51.39%) and 20 (36.36%) females are like to beg for various reasons – they feel that by begging they are masters unto themselves and it is also easier

IV. It is not so much the size, as the composition, of the beggar population in a city or a town or a village that determines the seriousness, the complexity, the nuisance value, etc. of this problem. That such a small number, probably, a fraction of 1% of the country’s total population can and do cause or pose such a challenging and vexing problem is worthy of note. Whether all the beggars in a given area happen to be ‘natives’, or whether some of them happen to be the ‘migrated’ ones or transients, and the like, do not change, in any way, the basic character or complexion of the problem. Another noteworthy feature about the beggar population is that its different segments excite compassion, consternation, disconcertment, disgust, anger and what not. Again,

this is not one of those problems which, left to itself, gets either minimized or solved by passage of time; but, on the contrary, passage of time not only aggravates but also enlarges this problem. It is generally observed that children of the school going age alone (between 6 and 15 years of age) account for more that 12% of the total beggar population while children, 5 years and under account for another 13% Children, thus, form more than a fourth of the Beggar population. (T.1)

Further, the disable and diseased constitute 29% while the remaining 71% is composed of the able-bodied. That about half of them are in their prime of life (between 21 and 45 years of age), that nearly half of all the able bodied beggars below 61 years of age are willing to work, that roughly about half of all the beggars have been on the streets for three years or less (many of these for one year and less) and that many of the able bodied are not willing to be taken care of in a Beggar Home. (T.2)

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Box 5 A National Consultation was organized by Aashray Adhikar Abhiyan, Indian Social Institute and Action Aid India on urban poor with special focus on "Beggary and vagrancy laws — the issues of de-custodialisation (decriminalization)," legal luminaries and social activists said that neither the police nor the courts displayed satisfactory interest in the issue and their response was at best disorganized and at worst violative of human rights. Half-hearted attempts by State officials to give evidence of "doing something" such as driving away the destitute and imposing fines was clearly distressing for the beggars without having any discerning effect on the overall problem. The dismissive treatment of the beggars in the police station and in the courts showed not only mismanagement but also lack of respect towards beggars as full citizens with all the entitlements and rights that entails their being a citizen. "Beggars, perhaps, are treated even worse than every-day criminals," the participants said. The study found that different laws to prevent beggary were implemented strictly in Delhi and Tamil Nadu, but implementation was lax in other States like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh due to lack of necessary systems and infrastructure and there is no anti-beggary laws in Rajasthan. All State laws go with a basic premise that beggary is an outcome of choice and not compulsion. "However, considering the low-income level, immigrant status, age factor, disability, disease and lowest social status, one can conclude that choice could not be the reason behind beggary. It is a survival mechanism," the study points out. Twenty-five per cent of the disadvantaged people said that police demanded bribe from them when they were arrested and another 10 per cent had to give money to police to get food in the police station. Referring to the aspirations of beggars, the study said they were keen to leave begging if given the opportunity. They wanted to get back to their earlier occupations, especially in cases where they had independent business or were semi-skilled labourers and were self-employed. Migrant beggars preferred the life back in rural agriculture but there were some who wanted to settle in urban areas. India Today

Is poverty alone is responsible for child ? Box 5 Indian Council for Child Welfare (ICCW), Tamilnadu Branch in its study found that among 200 child beggars, nearly 48 per cent of child beggars are from the age group of 6-10 years. Thirty five per cent fall in the age group of 11-15 years. Fifty two per cent are female. In Chennai city 46 per cent of the child beggar’s mother tongue is Telugu. Only 40 per cent of the respondent’s mother tongue is Tamil. 80 per cent of child beggars are school dropouts. Majority of the child beggars (84%) belong to Hindu religion. Nearly 43 per cent of the earning is spent by family members. Almost all the children use one or other type of addictive substances. As much as 30 to 40 per cent of the children use the addictives perpetually. A disturbing trend is that they go after easily available addictives such as whiteners and petroleum-based glues. Broken families, unhappy situations and use of drugs by the head of the family are the main reasons why the children turn to begging. Poverty is only a secondary cause. More than 60 per cent of the child beggars earn Rs. 50-100 daily. A small percentage of child beggars earn more than Rs. 100 per day. “Childline”, a 24-hour network project of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment in partnership with NGO’s, the State Government, UNICEF and corporate and other individuals concerned should be involved in the identification and referral of the child beggars.

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T.2.Types of Beggars by observation Types Number % Able bodied 909 70.90 Leper 49 3.82 Crippled 100 7.80 Blind 53 4.14 Deaf-mute 4 0.32 Filariasis 10 0.78 Old & Infirm 122 9.51 Irrational Behaviour

25 1.95

Any other 10 0.78 Total 1,282 100.00 It is shocking to notice that the able bodied beggars constitute 70% of the beggar population. It is also distressing to note that, the disabled and partially disabled constitute another 15.76% of the beggar population

27 27

10

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M F Willing to

Work

M F Unwilling to Work

D.2. Attitude Towards Work

Out of those beggars who do not like to beg, 54 (27 males and 27 females would like to work.

Studies reveals that nearly three fourths of all the beggars beg for anything cash, food, grain, clothes, etc., and less than a fourth beg primarily for cash. Only a fourth of all the beggars are single or unattached, while about 38% of them are married and another 35% are widowed or separated. It is again noted that disability and disease, widowhood or separation, loss of employment or business, inadequate earnings, and loss of parents or relatives are the causes that had led about 64% of all the beggars to take to begging.

V. Suggestions Keeping prevention and rehabilitation as our motto in beggary related issues the following suggestions are given

• The Beggar Problem – affects the Indian culture and heritage – therefore we must consider it as national problem and practically undertake various measures to solve this problem.

• The state may take special efforts to regulate and prevent beggary especially in popular temple cities like Madurai Rameswaram, ThiruvannaMalai, Kasi, Budda Gaya, Mathura Somnath in the background of increasing tourist interest as well as security threats. A co-ordination

committee is to be formed with NGOs, heads of the temples, and govt. representatives. Periodical amendment, strict implementation of beggary acts are necessary in order to tackle criminalization of beggary by powerful mafia groups. • Even though from the beginning, the Planning Commission has been undertaking research projects and taking measures to solve this problem. It is high time that the Planning Commission should plan effective program and direct all the state Govts. with the help of NGO to solve this problem in India.

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Box 7 Anti beggary laws have been enacted by 17 States and 2 union Territory Administration including Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharastra, Punjab, Tamilnadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Union Territory Daman & Diu & NCT of Delhi. The state of Rajasthan and the Union Territory of Pondichery have enforced anti beggary measures by the executive orders.

• Both the State and Central Govts. Should restore their social assistance and they must provide social security systems. Whatever help we do should aim at restricting the dependency attitude of the people. With aim to get votes politicians should not extend assistance instead we should help them to help themselves. • Family planning schemes is to be implemented among the beggar population • For able-bodied Beggars separate schemes to be introduced and proper training is to be given for their employment purpose. • State Government should take measures to prohibit beggars from migrating from one State to another State. • Since agriculture laborers from some part of the country are forced to beg due to drought and crop failure and the State should take up programs to prevent this. • Day Care Centre for aged beggars is to be maintained • NGO’s should be enabled to involve in beggary prevention and rehabilitation.

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Questions for discussion 1. Ownership claims over target area, locations, and points by some beggars

2. Begging groups around worship places / temples

3. Taking vows to visit temples with money collected through begging

4. The practice of free feeding (annadhan) in temples and chowltries

5. Perception of NGOs about begging

6. Child beggars and street children

7. Criminalization of beggary

8. Is it humanly possible to eradicate beggary?. There are beggars who cannot be

hooked in a particular place – then our discussions on anti poverty program is just

to by pass the problems of beggars

9. Institutional beggars

10. Methodological problems associated with research related to beggary