Beggar By Choice

Beggar by Choice

As per the Court’s directive in Delhi, any person found giving alms to beggars at traffic signals across Delhi may have to shell Rs 1000 fine. But I say why target just the common man instead of eliminating the root cause, the very act of begging. I know the government is trying its best to make capital beggar free, or to phrase it better, cleanse the city before the much-awaited Commonwealth Games. And if the Government thinks getting rid of beggars is so easy, a average Delhiite can tell you, No sir!, its hard nut to crack.

On that note, I want to share with you one of mine own interesting experience with a female beggar. Well, I was not directly involved, but just heard a little conversation between an educated lady and female beggar at a traffic signal in Delhi.

The incident took place two years ago. I was on my way back home on my motorcycle after finishing the day’s work at office. Stranded at a traffic signal near Moolchand flyover I was waiting for the signal turn green. Suddenly, a lady beggar in her mid-twenties approached two elderly women sitting in an autorickshaw parked on my right. The lady beggar had a half-naked newborn in her lap and with one of her breasts popping out she shamelessly approached them.

Rest of the conversation goes as below, which I somehow was able to hear loud and clear:

Lady Beggar: Oh! Madam, may God bless you, can you please give me a 100 rupees. I have nothing to feed my infant.

Woman in Auto: (In a strong voice) First of all can you kindly cover yourself properly and stop embarrassing people around you.

Lady Beggar: Jee Memsaheb, please forgive me (adjusting her clothes).

Woman in Auto: Where do you stay?

Lady Beggar: I live just below this flyover, near the red light on the other side. We are very poor people and have to beg to sustain ourself.

Woman in Auto: (After conversing with the other women in the auto) Oh! Is that so, would you like to work?

Lady Beggar: No madam, my husband will beat me up. I can’t. You just give me something. The traffic signal will go green very soon. Hurry please!

Woman in Auto: Areey! You are young and healthy I can give you some work as a maid in my house. I live just few paces away from here. Would you like to work? I will give you Rs 2,500/- per month to work as a maid in my house. Tell me, will you!

Lady Beggar: (Suddenly there was change in expression on the beggar’s face. And with her feeble voice turning rustic, rude she spoke) Kyun tu mera subah subah dimaag khraab karti hai maayi. Nahin karna kaam mereko. Main yahin acha kamati hun. Nikal yahan se. Why are you spoiling my mood early in the morning? I don’t want to work, I earn well here. You just get lost!

Both women were shell shocked after listening to lady beggar’s response as she vanished in the traffic. The women in auto gave me stunned look as one her spoke to me, “That’s why Delhi is full of beggars and filth. They are happy begging but won’t work. Terrible I say.” And I nodded affirmatively in response.

Soon the light turned green and I moved out of there along with the traffic. But somehow I couldn’t digest what I just heard moments ago. I really had to pity on those two women and couldn’t understand why that lady beggar turned down such a nice job offer. Will she be able to earn better just by begging?

I reached home and met a friend of mine with whom I shared this incident. This guy has a cousin brother who is a constable in Delhi Police. He found the whole incident amusing and said, “You see my policewala bhai knows these beggars very well. Most of the female beggars you see on roads are not even moms. They hire newborns on Rs 100 per day charge from jhuggis. And you know they sometimes earn more than Rs 5000/- per month. It’s all about easy money my friend.” That was news for me and I thought maybe his policewala bhai must have had little share of his own from street beggars’ earnings. We all know the cops in Delhi. Don't we.

Interestingly, my friend also had his own story to share. This was about how once he was duped by a pregnant beggar. My friend is a visibly rich guy and he was traveling back home in his car with his mother sitting on the rear seat. He was waiting at traffic signal near Nehru Place, when suddenly a pregnant woman opened the car’s back door and entered it without hesitation. She sat beside my friend’s mother and yelled, “Memsahib, I am expecting and having labour pains. Please take me to the hospital.” My friend has a very mature brain and he realized that this is a trap, but he was ashamed to speak anything in front of his mother. His mother, being a mother asked him to drive the car towards the nearest hospital.

Now, realizing that its high time react, my friend turned backwards and asked the pregnant woman, “How much money you want?” To this she replied, “Nahin Chahiye saab." But after a pause she said, "Okay saab, give me Rs 2000-3000, and I will take an auto and go to the hospital myself.” My friend took out an Rs 500 note and offered it to her. “Nahin sahib, I am pregnant you see, give me Rs 2000 please.” “You want it or not, or should I call the police,” my friend spoke in a threatening voice. What happened in next few second was astonishing. She took the Rs 500 note got out of the car and ran across the road like an athlete. My friend’s mother couldn’t believe her eyes as she watched her go. May be she was not pregnant at all.

The incidents like above are not new to people traveling in Delhi. But what strikes me more is that how these street beggars take pride in the whole act of begging. Moreover I feel we Indians are too sympathetic, ritualistic and very primitive with our thoughts. All these things promote begging. That’s why I think begging is here to stay, and that too with CHOICE.

By Vikas Sharda