Lately, Facebook was flooded with a post by a Lady.She said, she keeps some packets of Parle - G (Biscuits) whenever she's travelling so she could offer them to the beggars she meets. Very thoughtful isn't it?
Well, I have lived most of my life with this belief. My parents taught us so.
But from few years and a few incidents, my beliefs have changed.And this thing has become a controversial topic for me.
Let me walk you through few of the incidents from my life.
Incident 1: Lil kids. Chandigarh.
Once I was roaming around in the corridors of sector 35's market when a little guy came to me, offered me a God's 3D picture and said: "Didi, yeh photo le lo... boni ni huyi... 3 din se kuch khaya ni h, kuch khila do...! (Sis, please buy this picture. I haven't made any money since morning. Haven't eaten anything since 3 days)" He saw me with those sad puppy eyes, and I was moved. I felt bad for that 6 something kid. I asked him to come with me to a nearby food joint, but what he said pissed me off.
He totally denied and ordered me to take him to McD. not only this he had an argument with me over the price difference of food at those 2 joints. I was enraged at this moment and left the place and the kid.
2 blocks ahead, another kid came to me, same age with same photos. To my surprise, he orated the same script as the kid I met earlier. And this doesn't end here. The Kid1 shouted from behind to this new kid saying "Oye... Unka ho gya h... tu aa ja..(Hey, They are done, don't waste your time and come..)".
Incident 2: Hometown, Another Kid.
This incident is from one of my birthdays when I stepped out of my favourite restaurant. Like always I ordered too much this time too. at that time I was with this habit of taking away the left food and giving it away to beggars on my way home.
The moment I stepped out, a young kid 10ish came to beg. Well, with all my noble heart I gave him all the food I had. And it was enough to feed his family once.
The kid gave me a weird look and kept gazing until we left. My friend kept looking at him until the end of her sight. And you what! That kid threw the food there and left.
I have multiple other incidents where the handicapped and really poor beggars used my offered money for buying tobacco. Or people crying for help because their loved ones are sick and don't have money for the treatment, denying help when offering to buy medicines or any other medical care.
The whole point is you can't make out whether they need food, money, medicines or something else.How many of them are genuinely needy or are faking it. 90% of the beggars are by choice., it's the easiest profession. Completely no investment.
Now, I am completely against beggary. I don't entertain them or support them. The government is doing so much for the needy, there are umpty NGOs and charitable trusts who look after such cases.
The choice is yours! Food or Money?? Or, Support it or Curb it??
--RJ
Well, I have lived most of my life with this belief. My parents taught us so.
But from few years and a few incidents, my beliefs have changed.And this thing has become a controversial topic for me.
Let me walk you through few of the incidents from my life.
Incident 1: Lil kids. Chandigarh.
Once I was roaming around in the corridors of sector 35's market when a little guy came to me, offered me a God's 3D picture and said: "Didi, yeh photo le lo... boni ni huyi... 3 din se kuch khaya ni h, kuch khila do...! (Sis, please buy this picture. I haven't made any money since morning. Haven't eaten anything since 3 days)" He saw me with those sad puppy eyes, and I was moved. I felt bad for that 6 something kid. I asked him to come with me to a nearby food joint, but what he said pissed me off.
He totally denied and ordered me to take him to McD. not only this he had an argument with me over the price difference of food at those 2 joints. I was enraged at this moment and left the place and the kid.
2 blocks ahead, another kid came to me, same age with same photos. To my surprise, he orated the same script as the kid I met earlier. And this doesn't end here. The Kid1 shouted from behind to this new kid saying "Oye... Unka ho gya h... tu aa ja..(Hey, They are done, don't waste your time and come..)".
Incident 2: Hometown, Another Kid.
This incident is from one of my birthdays when I stepped out of my favourite restaurant. Like always I ordered too much this time too. at that time I was with this habit of taking away the left food and giving it away to beggars on my way home.
The moment I stepped out, a young kid 10ish came to beg. Well, with all my noble heart I gave him all the food I had. And it was enough to feed his family once.
The kid gave me a weird look and kept gazing until we left. My friend kept looking at him until the end of her sight. And you what! That kid threw the food there and left.
I have multiple other incidents where the handicapped and really poor beggars used my offered money for buying tobacco. Or people crying for help because their loved ones are sick and don't have money for the treatment, denying help when offering to buy medicines or any other medical care.
The whole point is you can't make out whether they need food, money, medicines or something else.How many of them are genuinely needy or are faking it. 90% of the beggars are by choice., it's the easiest profession. Completely no investment.
Now, I am completely against beggary. I don't entertain them or support them. The government is doing so much for the needy, there are umpty NGOs and charitable trusts who look after such cases.
The choice is yours! Food or Money?? Or, Support it or Curb it??
--RJ
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