Beggar menace

maalti · May 22, 2011

Two weeks back, my teenage daughter and her friend went by the flying train from Indira Nagar to Chepauk to book tickets for the IPL match. Since they went in the afternoon and it was lonely, they got into the general compartment instead of ladies.
After some time a beggar got into the train and started begging. Some passengers gave him change. The girls didn’t have any change. They kept quiet. He waited for some time and started shouting at the girls using abusive and foul language. They became so scared. There were many passengers but no one came to their rescue. He got down in the next station to their relief. But it didn’t end there. At each station he came near the window where the girls were sitting and shouted at them.
It reminded me of the volley ball player Arunima Sinha who was attacked recently by three men. We always make a hue and cry when such incidents take place and conveniently forget once some other issue crops up. What would have happened if he had attacked the girls? Even then I am sure, the passengers would have remained silent spectators.
Some months back, the Corporation promised to curtail the beggar menace. But recently it has grown to alarming proportions. Who is the authority to prevent beggar menace in trains? When will our women and girls be safe while traveling?
Unless some stringent measures are taken to prevent beggar menace and ticket less traveling, the occurrence of such incidents cannot be prevented. But who cares?
I had sent the above to a popular English daily but it was not published. Perhaps they have more important issues than this. Anyway, I thought I could share it with our IL friends and give them all a word of caution.

sreemanavaneeth · May 23, 2011

Dear Maalti,

The same incidence happened to me long back. I have offered what i want. But the begger shouted at me very badly that he need ten rupees from me. To offer a begger a rupee or anything it is our wish but they are demanding and cursing us if we are not paying them.
That day i was very upset. The corporation of chennai should have a control and eye on the begger. It is the hightime the government should take care of this with immediate effect

AkilaMani · May 24, 2011

Dear maalti,

It is a sad plight.

On one hand i feel sorry for those who have to beg to make a living on the other hand i feel angered when they behave as if it is their right to demand money out of us!!

The government should take strict action to rehabilitate these people and train them in some skill with which they can make a living.

The agressive ones must be handed over to the authoritise so that it will be safe for the commuters to travel in trains.

Akila

navs23 · May 24, 2011

Dear Maalti,
It is very sad to hear about such incidents. These days I no longer feel sorry for them, if some one is fit enough to threaten or use physical abuse, they are fit to work definitely. We did come across one middle aged lady who was very fit and begging in the traffic signal. She cursed us tremendously because we did not budge to her constant nagging, we just moved on, if we start paying attention to their curses and cautions, then there is no end to it.

Thyagarajan · Oct 13, 2021

The traffic signal turned from amber to red as I approached the intersection. A woman with a kid knocked at the glass wi Dow asking for alms. I rolled down the glass window and told her “my hotel is nearby. i would give you vessels cleaning job. Would you do it.” She clicked her tongue and moved away to the car next.

Begging is a profession and the organiser kidnap young kids, blind them and make them beg in prominent areas & popular spots. They refuse invariably if one offers them food. This is well depicted and highlighted in the vikasswaroop’s movie slumdog millionaire.

Thoughtful · Oct 14, 2021

While by and large I agree to this issue and inconvenience caused by beggers and similar incident, we probably should also ask the question on how to make lives of everyone better.

The woman with the kid example which Thyagarajan sir quoted, would the woman feel safe going to a stranger's house for doing work.

I am remembered of an incident when a small kid asked for money and said he was hungry. I said I would buy him food and took him to the restaurant right there in the street. The waiter came to take the order and said, don't bring this kid here. He will catch hold of someone and come eat.

While the kid might be doing it habitually without any intention of progressing further, it is probably a sad state that he doesn't have anything to eat and at that moment a filled stomach is what he needs. I advised him to think of the future and do something worth while.

Sorry for digressing, but what I am wondering is, all of us need to do our bit in making the world a better place. The momentary acts of kindness where we buy a meal or give a temporary job and pay might not cut it. Each of us should have a consistent goal of contributing our money or time to reduce poverty, provide education or job, feed the hungry, etc.

As the number of rich people grow, the basic amenities like food, shelter, medicine, schooling/college should be available to all. India is at a place where there are enough rich people and average income has gone up, more people should receive some benefits at least. No one chooses poverty, they are born into it or pushed into it by circumstances.

Thoughtful · Oct 14, 2021

Ah, I see this is an old thread. Thyarajan sir, you are messing up the timeline by commenting on this, but nonetheless, this is a worthy topic to speak about.