Plea to punish those who give alms to beggars

Chandigarh, Apr 28 (UNI) The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued notice for August 23 to the Punjab and Haryana governments as also to the Chandigarh Administration on a PIL which has sought punishment to those who encourage beggars by giving alms. The notice was issued by the Division Bench of Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Rajive Bhalla on the PIL filed by advocate H C Arora highlighting how begging had become a ''profession' run by unscrupulous criminals. The presence of a large number of beggars at pilgrim centres was becoming a nuisance for the pilgrims, it added.

The petitioner has sought directions to quash the provisions of the prevention of Beggary Act, which he claimed were ''discriminatory'' as these provide punishment for beggars only, whereas the persons who encourage beggary by giving food, gifts, money or other items as alms go unpunished.

The petitioner argued that beggars would automatically disappear once people were discouraged from giving alms to them by imposing some fine on alms giving.

The existing police force, on duty at traffic points and outside temples, among other places, can be authorised to issue challans for imposing fines on the alms-givers and this will add to the state revenue, the petitioner said.

UNI