Time to think

Sir - It is common to see people begging on Indian streets ("Kinds of begging", May 8). However, I believe that their numbers are dwindling. I reside in a rural part of the state; in the past, people would visit our house in large numbers to ask for alms. They were given rice as it was cheap - it was prepared at local husking mills and cooked at home. We also had a set of brass bowls, glasses and plates for the beggars to use. The decline in their numbers can perhaps be attributed to many of them having found better employment opportunities.

 

Yours faithfully,

Niamul Hossain Mallick,

Katwa, Burdwan

Sir - Beggars are considered to be a nuisance. It is true that people tend to feel bad for them upon reading about the hardships they face, and often accuse the government for its unjust treatment of beggars. But when the same people meet poor children on railway platforms or on the streets, their sympathy vanishes. At such times, they either shoo the beggars away or carelessly toss coins of the smallest denominations in their direction.

Some beggars are aware of the indignity associated with begging in India. Hence, poor children often try to earn money by sweeping train compartments or collecting waste material. Some of them even try to entertain passengers on trains and buses by singing or playing musical instruments. However, there are able-bodied beggars who feign illness or pretend to be disabled in order to attract the attention of alms-givers.

Yours faithfully,

Buddhadev Nandi,

Bishnupur, Bankura

Sir - One often hears people say that able-bodied adults should work for a living instead of begging. Beggars are considered to be idlers. People feel uncomfortable when approached by a beggar with an outstretched palm. In his article, "Kinds of begging", Gopalkrishna Gandhi correctly points out that the real reason why beggars are despised is because they do not have enough money. A human being's worth is now measured by how rich he is. Bill Gates - one of the wealthiest men in the world - said, "If you are born poor, it's not your mistake; but if you die poor, it's your mistake."

Yours faithfully,

Purnendu Samajdar, Calcutta

Sir - It cannot be denied that some beggars try to hoodwink unsuspecting people. They devise new ways to get people to give them money. On local trains, I have witnessed men and women fooling passengers by showing them photographs of ailing children and asking for donations to help in their treatment. The passengers are moved upon seeing these pictures and readily part with their money. They do not realize that they are being cheated. It is good to perform acts of kindness, but one must also be wary of dishonest people.

 

Yours faithfully,

Iftekhar Ahmed, Calcutta

Dismal picture

Sir -The contents of the Death Penalty India Report, prepared by the National Law University in Delhi, are shocking ("Darkest heart", May 9). The treatment meted out to prisoners on death row is inhuman. There has been extensive discussion on the need to abolish the death penalty. Many people believe that capital punishment ought to be awarded in the rarest of rare cases. Would it be more advisable to award a maximum jail sentence of 25 years instead? The behaviour of the jail staff towards prisoners is also a matter of concern; it is the duty of the staff to follow the rules laid down in the prison manual.

A thorough study such as this one ought to be conducted in the mental hospitals all over India. I suspect that the findings would be appalling.

Yours faithfully,

A.S. Mehta, Calcutta

Not funny

Sir - Transgender people in India are often made fun of and deprived of education and employment. They earn their living by blessing newborn babies. However, now they are increasingly resorting to begging. The condition of the elderly members of the transgender community is miserable. They do not have access to medicines when ill, and die suffering. They ought to be treated with respect, and given employment opportunities.

Yours faithfully,

Biswadeb Chakraborty,

Howrah