The government must adopt short- and long-term measures to end the menace
Begging activity has come into focus again. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has declared that activities such as begging, offering massages on the beach and touting would be completely banned and violators immediately arrested. In another case, an activist lawyer moved the High Court of Bombay at Goa over begging, and the division bench made interesting observations in the matter.
In the public interest litigation, Moses Pinto had sought directions to the government authorities to: rescue children forced to beg at traffic signals; implement child protection measures under the Juvenile Justice Act and Bharat Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; and provide temporary shelters and educational access. The PIL also suggested establishing a task force to address and prevent child exploitation in public places, as well as launching awareness campaigns to sensitise the public about the issue.
The government has a bigger role to play than just launching a campaign against begging. No doubt, the menace has to be eradicated, but the socio-economic side also has to be looked at. Merely registering offences under the Goa Prevention of Begging Act, 1972, as well as the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act of 2015, does not offer any solution. The double bench comprising Justice Nivedita P Mehta and Justice Bharati Dangre has asked the government to go to the root cause of the menace. The court has given a different perspective to the begging activity, which normally is seen by the government as only seeking alms by an individual, group or an organised gang.
“It is necessary that the root cause of this menace be tapped and attention be focused to prohibit this activity of begging from being carried out, and this definitely cannot be targeted by registering offences against their parents but finding a wholesome solution to the issue,” the court said. It has also asked the government to file an affidavit in the matter. The court also appreciated the concern expressed by the petitioner, who “has instituted the petition in larger public interest in order to ensure that the child and youth are not exploited, and if it is done so, it is in violation of their fundamental right”.
It is said that begging has been prevalent from time immemorial. Beggars and other homeless people are overwhelmingly destitute. However, in recent years, there have been cases of organised gangs involved in begging. There must be a clamp down on these gangs, if any. Begging as a menace has been taken seriously by several countries. In India, Indore and Bhopal have imposed a ban on begging, and it’s an offence not only for begging but also against those giving alms. Both are beggar-free cities. In 2017, then Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar had announced plans to make Goa the first state in the country to be beggar-free. He had also stated plans of coming out with measures to rehabilitate beggars and destitute.
Goa needs to follow the suggestion made by the High Court that the root cause of the begging menace should be found out and acted upon accordingly. The government can come out with long-term and short-term initiatives to end begging in the state. Those working for this section suggest that the government should organise some programmes providing education and vocational training or skills to the beggars, empowering them to get new sources of livelihood. For success, the government must collaborate with NGOs and the community living nearby. The United Nations has also called for effective measures to combat child exploitation in begging.
