CHENNAI: Summer vacation is here and excited children are looking at various getaway options. But there is a section for whom vacation means long hours of work, mostly under the sun. They wait for instructions from employers — or parents — as to which area they should head to. The profession is none other than begging.
Studies point out that nearly 70 percent of children who take up begging are either destitute, have lost their way, run away from home due to various reasons or abandoned by family. The rest are employed by their own families due to financial constraints.
“Apart from trafficking cases, there are others where parents have forced children to beg. We are checking if there are cases where children were abused,” Chennai City Police commissioner Karan Singha said.
After repeated prodding by the Madras High Court, the Chennai police launched a drive against women and child beggars, detaining 160. Since most hailed from northern States, they were sent to their villages. “This isn’t easy but we are determined to do what we can,” the commissioner said.
Social activists argue that beggary should be addressed as a form of poverty if it is to be eradicated or at least reduced.
Sarah Ramya, a child rights activist, recalled how they received an alert that 67 children were trafficked from Jharkhand and Bihar about six months ago. To escape scrutiny from the Railway Protection Force, the agent got off at Vyasarpadi and took them to Guduvancherry. “We intercepted and rescued the children, who were reunited with their families by the Child Welfare Committee,” Sarah said.
What became clear was that the children were sent by parents. “The children were trafficked for begging in Kerala after hefty sums were promised to their families,” she added.
Another trend is children hawking books or stationary items. When asked why she was selling books instead of going to school, one nine-year-old replied: “My father shouts if I haven’t sold these books when I return.”
Once they enter begging, experts say children don’t want to go back to school and rare ones who are willing to return fear pressure from their parents.
Poverty and parental neglect are the main causes for child beggary and juvenile crime, added Girija Kumarababu, General Secretary, Indian Council for Child Welfare. “The child cannot be blamed; it will not change unless she/he is educated. Then there are other reasons including parenting style, academics, peer pressure, abuse of drug and alcohol,” Girija added.
“Nearly 90 percent are into drugs and alcohol. Even if they are rescued, where should they be sent when the facility itself doesn’t exist,” she asked.
Another activist, who runs a charitable trust in the city, said previous attempts at rescuing beggars were unsuccessful. “Though we provided food, clothing and shelter, they stayed in our home hardly for two days. For them, begging is an occupation. We learnt that they have gotten used to being free and cannot thus be restricted to a four-wall compound,” the activist said.
“Eradicating beggary from society is like a dream, which needs tremendous groundwork starting from addressing their behavioural changes. Proper implementation of Right to Education Act can be a solution. If all children below 14 years are admitted to school and have access to education, that would offer a major boost,” Sarah suggested.
A senior official from the Department of Social Defence said there was no particular programme that focused on child beggary but added that clear instruction has been given on rescuing children found on the streets without their parents. These children are lodged in the shelter or homes for children. “Funds are provided for this under the Integrated Child Development Scheme,” said the official.
A research paper on child beggary by V Nirmala, a PhD student in criminology at the University of Madras, highlighted how child beggars face some form of physical or sexual abuse. Around 219 children in the age group of 7 to 15 were surveyed. Half of them were unwilling to go to school but were interested in other activities like gardening and catering. Around 9 per cent did not want to be rehabilitated.
Suggestions for improvement
Training for stakeholders
Trust towards reintegration, not punishment
Introduction of de-addiction facilities for children
Multiple component approaches
Link to existing services in the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and National Skill Development Corporation
Cases registered in the recent drive
132 cases were registered under the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Begging Act, 1945, following two drives conducted recently
210 including 103 adults and 107 children were secured. Of these, 64 individuals — 57 adults and seven children — have been released on bail
70 of those arrested — 46 adults and 100 children — were sent to various homes in the city
Laws relating to child begging
If the person arrested has not attained the age of 18 years, such a person shall, without delay, be produced, together with the certificate of the medical officer, before a Juvenile Court and the provisions of Section 12 or Section 12-A shall then apply to the case
If the magistrate finds that the person in respect to whom an inquiry is made under Section 7 is guilty of an offence under Section 3, but had not attained the age of 18 years, the magistrate may pass any order a Juvenile Court could have passed if such a person had been produced before it under sub-section (1) of Section 12