The traffic signal flashes red and you slowly come to a halt just as the reckless auto next to you screeches to an abrupt stop. As you wait for the green signal, there is not much you can do. So, you watch the vehicles, which are moving from the other side of the road or on the road perpendicular to the one you are on.

You've just gone into a reverie when you have this slightly framed woman standing by your window with her palm outstretched for money or whatever she thinks you can possibly give while she has a baby clinging to her breasts. She looks on helplessly at you for your heart to melt. You look on too and you are making up your mind to display your generosity in the form of a few shillings.oops no, a few paise…..

Just as I loosen my purse strings to pull out a few dimes (all the while wishing that God is noticing this one 'easy' good deed of mine!!!), my friend sitting beside me looks disgruntled and murmurs under his breath, " Beggary is an unpardonable sin." That was some statement! It set me thinking about what a nuisance beggars can be! My thoughts raced ahead before I realized that the green signal was blinking. I turned on the ignition and sped off as I started to think on this issue.

I am told Bangalore has a 'network' of beggars and that they have bank balances too! The 'parent' beggars send their children to beg on the streets so that the 'family income' is that much more. I am also given to believe that petty crimes start from the beggar community. Sad but true! The same hapless creatures who evoke pity in you have more resources than you and me to call their own!

There are many ways of approaching this sensitive issue but the least that the Government can do is get them off the streets and involve them in some productive ventures like candle making, clay modeling, pottery among others but only if someone is listening…

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