In Ramadhan, Indian beggars swarm Kashmir. Srinagar, July 3: They linger on footpaths, their children pulling at clothes of each passerby. “Allah Ke Naam Pe Deido,” the kids say, repeating the monotonous line over and over till dusk. They also hang around outside Masjids, hospitals, schools and in the city centre here. And in the evening, they go back where they come from – with a rich man’s feeling. As the holy month of Ramadhan began in the Muslim world, non-local beggars and their foot soldiers – children – are swarming Kashmir. The beggars have come to Kashmir with families of fives and tens just as recent as Monday when the fasting began. Every year, Ramadhan offers a bonanza for these beggars who have made travel to Kashmir during the holy month part of their annual itinerary to gather bagsful of alms offered by people here. A beggar from Jammu, who gave his name as Naushad, was Wednesday waiting outside the gates of Sher-i- Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura. Two of his daughters went inside the hospital lawns, while he rested on the blanket, chanting a hymn of mendicancy. On the road, he had also laid a tattered piece of cloth on which passersby were dropping pennies, some on their own and some on the beggar’s insistence. Naushad’s family is one among hundreds of others who drove from Jammu and other parts of India to Kashmir, anticipating a jumbo season, in part because of tremendous generosity shown by Kashmiris in the month of Ramadhan. “We have nowhere else to go,” the beggar said, when asked why he came to Kashmir. “This is the only place where people give generously and we don’t even have to do much groundwork.” From Soura to Lal Chowk, the GK reporter saw scores of non-local beggars climb in the vehicles and ask for alms to the local passengers. What is interesting and important to note is that these beggars usually visit hospitals where they know they get the maximum. More than anything else, these beggars know where to go for begging and where not to. This issue has been casually taken by the administration and officials in various departments pass buck over whose responsibility was it to take a call on the phenomenon which is eclipsing Kashmir’s genial landscape. Nilofar Bhat, Deputy Secretary to Government, Labor and Employment Department, said it was the responsibility of police and social welfare department. “We don’t deal with this issue,” she said. “We deal with child labour.” Muhammad Shafi Rather, Secretary, Social Welfare Department, said Srinagar Municipal Corporation looked after such affairs. Abdul Rashid Zargar, SMC’s Public Relations Officer, said authorities were not much attentive to the problem. “The menace is increasing by the day. And it is a fact,” he said. “But less attention is being paid to the problem as SMC has to undertake multi tasks. Besides, Commissioner Sahib himself oversees such issues.”
Posted on: Fri, 04 Jul 2014 05:03:07 +0000
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