It is a weird thing to do. For the Delhi government to ask 10 state governments to take back the beggars, that is. The logic being these beggars came from those states. How does the Delhi government know? It actually carried out a survey to find out how many beggars came from which states. And on the basis of this survey, the Delhi government wrote to chief secretaries of 10 state governments. Like a typical bureaucrat, West Bengal chief secretary even wrote back asking for details of the beggars and what needed to be done. But then, he is the only one responded.

Equally weird is the purpose behind the move. The Delhi government wants to present a better image of the city at the time of the Commonwealth Games it is hosting in the later part of this year. You see, we have to clean our city so that the foreign tourists, sports persons and officials who would be visiting us won't see our dirty beggars.

Ours is a free country. Anyone living in any part of the country can work and live in any other part of the country. That is what Bal Thackerays of the world are told everytime north Indians are attacked by them in Mumbai. Doesn't this apply to the beggars? Don't they have claim to equality and right to livelihood that our constitution guarantees? Can't really beggars be choosers?

More seriously, hasn't the Delhi government banned begging on the streets? What happened to beggars' homes the city is supposed to be running? What happened to the plan of rehabilitating those found begging on the street? What happend to the tax payers' money earmarked for this purpose? Will the Delhi government please explain?