Yes, and not only begging but also providing to the beggars is a crime. So, on the other hand, if you are giving money to the beggar then it is a crime too. And this is as per our Indian Laws.
What is wrong in begging?
If you note, there are really very few who actually beg for a cause like their disability, old-age or real urgent needs [these situations come when someone is in the hospital and I have been witness to it but that is a different story].
Begging has become a profession and these who beg have a whole family that is doing the same, begging. Later they go to extend their family by marrying giving birth to children and then to have more to beg. You entertaining one beggar, means you let him/her make their family give birth to a few more and get them begging on roads or temples too.
Anti-Social elements
One more dimension to it is anti-social elements. When you provide to a young beggar because of ease of getting provided they get into drugs then their wants increase then they start pick-pocketing then robbing and then even killing at a stage. It's not that these elements are only born here but, this is one source.
Where they come from?
Most of the cross-overs from Bangladesh are the ones seen begging on the road. If you are observant enough you would know that yes they are not from India. Remember, that if you think these beggars are poor from some village in India or are some Adivasee's (Jungle Tribe) from India then, you are very wrong. You have to look hard these are 50% Bangladesh's and these are the ones actually going to be eating out and consuming the resources that are built by our people, cities and country from our taxes. We are not saying just because they are not from India do atrocities to them. Just that if they are here let them do their part and don't make it easy for them to beg; let them take jobs if they can. To get them out of here is Governments job and not ours.
CORRUPTION?
I really wonder why Government is not doing anything? OR as I believe this is also one of the root cause which comes from CORRUPTION. You get to cross the border by CORRUPTION. You get to dodge the police by CORRUPTION stay in city and beg too. You can make a Shanty in some area of the city by CORRUPTION with help of municipal officer [then they become vote banks in few years and claim the share over area and India]. You can get ration-cards form government BABU by CORRUPTION.
Well all this by the money of BEGGING; what an Eco-system; A Life cycle of Money and it's investment. You come with nothing and in a few years you claim everything. And, as I said these people can be quite nasty anti-social elements as they don't belong to over here [India].
Hindu Religion and Begging
Hindu religion talks a lot about providing to poor especially on occasions and some particular rituals or as called as poojas just performed. So much of misinterpretations by mistake or on purpose is what has taken our whole Hindu religion to be of Orthodox and of blind-faith nature. Our so called Brahmin's and Acharya's of ancient times were so very well versed with the psychology of people that they knew for e.g. a rich merchant would never share his wealth unless and until there is a reason or benefit to it. So these where the very reasons that the learned people of those days got them donating in name of GOD (from the kings and the rich merchants).
The classic example is Chanakya, as Indians would recognize very well. He used any means to get things write and the very reason India got into one umbrella that made it very powerful and rich in those days. Similarly there were many who contributed in different causes and ways like the one known as donating which, is now completely misunderstood and misrepresented where people provide to the beggars outside the temples [or the self vested pandits]. Similar example of science comes in my mind. If people were told that they could damage eye-sight if they saw solar eclipse there would be very few who would listen. But, as soon as you add the magic and god anger part of it they were understood and followed with wide spread acceptance till date. I can keep going on with examples but this is enough for the crowd I am targeting today.
Well, if giving is a good cause then there are a lot of better places to give which makes sure that the donation (could be any money, food or things) are brought to right use.
Above was a small multi dimensional view of BEGGING with examples, from some different view points. But, I have kept examples and descriptions small as not to bore the readers.
So next time when you see a beggar what is that, which will come in your mind?
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