HYDERABAD: The Prisons department has decided to temporarily shelve its ongoing drive against beggars and destitute people living on the streets after criticism surfaced that the ‘cleanup’ was linked to the high-profile visit of Ivanka Trump to participate in the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. The announcement declaring a reward of `500 to anyone giving information on beggars stands postponed till Dec 25.
“We have said time and again the drive has nothing to do with the GES,” said director general of Telangana Prisons and Correctional Services VK Singh. “We are stopping it right away and will resume on Dec 1 after the summit is over. Will anyone have a problem then?” Speaking to Express on Monday, Singh assured the drive would have far-reaching implications and that rehabilitation centres would be upgraded with ‘five star’ facilities. “Ours is the most structured programme. Out of the 232 people brought here, only 63 remain with us. The plan is to impart skill training to them and find them employment at our petrol pumps and My Nation outlets,” he said.
However, not all inmates at Chanchalguda Ananda Ashram for males are genuine beggars. “I was returning from Nampally Dargah on Wednesday when I saw a crowd.There were these people promising to give blankets for poor people in Chanchalguda jail. Since I showed interest, they brought me here,” said a man who works as a mechanic in Nampally. When contacted after release, he said “I lost three days of earnings, worth around `1,200. My only mistake was that I did not carry my ID card. How can police pick up someone just based on the clothes they wear?”