From the article: India Beggars and Begging Scams: What You Should Know
Despite India's rapid economic growth in recent years, poverty and begging in India are still big problems. It can be very confronting for those not used to seeing it. What do you do? Do you give beggars money? Or ignore them? Share your experiences here. Share Your Experience
the baby is always asleep
- the beggers' baby is always a sleep. Did you ever notice that? Thats because theyre are fed drugs to keep quiet. Sometimes they get handed over to the next begger, so that the other one can rest. means baby is drugged up in the sun/cold all day long. And if it dies while begging, gang rules make the begger keep begging to the end of her shift. http://www.hoaxorfact.com/Social-Awareness/begging-gangs-hire-babies-and-drug-them-to-sleep-facts-analysis.html
- —Guest kim
Ignore them
- I encountered only a few beggars during my trip to India, and they eventually went away and bothered somebody else. Here in Berkeley and in nearby San Francisco, I see probably a hundred times more beggars every day than I saw in India, and I ignore them too. Giving to them only encourages more begging. Many of them are con artists, and much of that money goes for drugs, tobacco, and booze. Regardless of what country one is in, if no one gave them anything, there would be no more begging.
- —Guest Mary
He wants to give
- My husband away in India and small children begging him for money, he turned then away but can't sleep at night. He's on work business and calls me every day devastated, asking me what to do. It's awful that these poor children have to do such a thing. I want him to help but on the other hand I don't, as I want these kids safe and sound. I have 3 myself as has my husband, and can completely understand how he is feeling. UK totally different .
- —Guest Nicky
They need our support
- If You have a chance to interact with beggars, just ask about how he/she ended up becoming a beggar. I have interacted with more than 30 beggars and come to the conclusion that its just because of failure of judicial system as well as wrong designing of our welfare program , where there is no space for them. In most states of India, begging is a crime and they will be punish if they beg in Public area. Pls email me on vikashbsw@gmail.com, if you have anything to discuss about beggary. I have been working with beggars since last 8 months. Their situation is very critical, they are victimise by law as well as criminal. Young girls & children & women are being trapped organized crime and they are continuously exploited by them. If you really want to help, just give some solution to it otherwise giving just thought & suggestion will not enough.
- —Guest Vikash Kumar
Documentary film on this reallity
- The issue can not be eliminated so easily because the picture of beggary is not as simple in India as it looks. You can watch more here in a documentarty film .. www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_J1UXkF17M
- —Guest Deepak Sharma
Missing children in India
- Child are often stolen, kidnapped at small age in india, and purchased /sold to beggars or hired, Hence stop giving any money,article,food, etc to women & kids in India and help to prevent child theft. Save kids in India.... Pass this message to others also.
- —Guest Raju Karde
Death of my soul
- Death of my soul - a documentary film which can be found out on youtube covers various prospectives of beggary in India
- —Guest Deepak
Same way as in the US
- In the US city where I live I've come to see 1) begging is the purest form of capitalism: beggars are smart, get direct feedback about what works, and refine their message. 2) having those skills to rend your heart and being the most needy are in no way correlated, 3) what helps someone truly is a relationship network, not a random one-time cash infusion. Don't give on the street in ANY city, find an NGO.
- —Guest Lisa
Never encourage them
- From past 8 years I hv never give a single penny to them .If u hv a kind heart want to help them then pls don't do that bcoz they will never earn money and in Gita there is written that every man hv to pay there guilt in same life and those who help them that guilt passed to them and so on... Logically a govt could raise poor by giving job or work but when the same money spends on parasite like beggar then that amount of money reduces to them . In Gujarat there is very few beggar bcoz there govt hv banned them . and u all know Gujarat has recogniozed by U.N as fastest growing state .
- —Guest Bharat
Don't encourage them to live like that
- To give money to beggars just encourages them to keep living like that. What Aniket says above is true. It's not the way to actually help them. Virtually all the begging in big cities and tourist areas is highly controlled by the local begging mafia. If you must give something, give a chapati or some little thing to eat, like a banana. How they receive it will tell you if they are generally hungry. Many professional beggars will simply throw it on the ground in disgust and demand money. It's far more useful to help in other ways.
- —JDViharini
Its easy
- I only give to kids, but not money, I will give them food and make sure they eat it in front of me, please dont give money, this will end up in some adults pocket.
- —Guest Mr Len
giving to beggars
- I always give money to the disabled and the very elderly, the children i give sweets and fruit and cakes, they always (the children) look puzzled that i don't give them money,but i have seen how some send the children out in rags, whilst they do nothing, so i think it is up to the individual, the children love the ice creams.
- —pwincessjane
How Do You Deal with Begging in India?
- I give sticks of gum to the children only, but never money.
- —Guest diana
Don't give to beggars
- I say don't give to beggars in India - just like in Berkeley and San Francisco, it encourages more begging and keeps them on the streets. There are jobs for the disabled in India. For example, at an animal sanctuary that I visited, one of the employees was a man who couldn't walk due to polio. His job was to pet and comfort the animals while they were getting their IVs etc.
- —signoradefarge
Please don't give money to beggars.
- Next time you see a beggar, please don't give them any money. Ok, I might sound a bit cruel but the reality is begging has become a business in India. There are criminals in India who kidnap small children and make them beg. They even cut their limbs, beat them ,etc. so that people will give money out of pity. Also, if you give only 10 rs thinking that child will get something to eat....then you are wrong. The whole amount will be taken by the gang leader or their parents and in return the child gets rotten food. I sincerely request you to stop giving any money to beggars. If you really want to help them, donate that amount to an NGO who helps such children get education. More details can be found at http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2002-12-06/pune/27319770_1_child-beggars-childline-anuradha-sahasrabuddhe
- —Guest Aniket
