THE other day, I was with few of my friends in the parking of Lal Mandi footbridge waiting for another friend to arrive. As soon as we crossed the footbridge(as we came from Ghanta Ghar) after walking a few steps in the parking, a non local beggar, aged 10-12 years appeared in front of us and started pleading for alms. We, all students, felt pity for him and each one of us took a coin from our respective wallets and gave it to him.
 We were about to keep wallets back in our pockets, when a group of 3-4 children, hardly they would have been 8-10 years of age, appeared in front of us. As we guessed they belonged to same family, probably were siblings of each other. This newly arrived group of non local children also started pleading extremely hard, like the previous boy, seeking alms.
 Our answer to them was (as most of us would have said) that we have already given. But they were in no mood to listen our pleas and continued their alms pleadings. Irked, we reacted a bit strongly asking them to disperse. Seeing our changed attitude this time, one of the boys, probably the youngest in the clan, came forward and started touching our feet and didn’t let us go till we managed paying them some bucks.
 These non local beggars have found a new way to get money by just continuously irritating the pedestrians. The scene is for now worst near Traffic Signals. These beggars even run after the people for money. And this all escalates during the Blessed month of Ramazan when more of beggars make it to Srinagar for alms. But why do so many beggars come to Srinagar? And who allows their unchecked entry?
 Something needs to be done to keep a check on the menace. Probably the SMC should act against such miscreants.

By Juhaid Farooq
Jamia Masjid Nowhatta
(The ideas expressed are author’s own)

Lastupdate on : Sun, 22 Jul 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 22 Jul 2012 18:30:00 GMT
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