72.2% of beggars in India are Hindus; 24.9% Muslims; 0.88% Christians

July 29, 2016

Nearly 25 percent of the 3.7 lakh Indians categorised as "beggars" in the 2011 Census are Muslims, according to data released last month. While most of beggars in India are Hindus—about 72.2 percent—Hindus are also the majority religious group in India, accounting for almost four-fifths of the country's population.

beggar

The number of Muslim beggars is significant as compared to their overall population in India, which stands at 17.22 crore as per the last Census.

A majority of the Muslim beggars are women, which is contrary to the national trend, where there are fewer women beggars compared to men.

Earlier, reports have indicated that Muslims have the lowest living standard in India, and spend less than Rs 33 every day.

Activists claim that the data — released last month — on the religious orientation of those deemed non workers' in Census 2011, highlights, once again, the limited or unequal access that certain communities or groups of citizens have to government schemes and services, which pushes them to destitution.

Non workers' are defined in the Census as individuals who do not participate in any economic activity — paid or unpaid — household duties, or cultivation.

As per Census data, of the total 72.89 crore non workers, 3.7 lakh are beggars. This number fell 41% since the last Census of 2001, which recorded the number of beggars at 6.3 lakh.

Muslims make up an unusually high percentage of individuals who have been categorised as beggars. A total of 92,760 Muslims are categorised thus — a quarter of the country's total beggar population of 3.7 lakh.

Hindus are 79.8% of India's population, but with 2.68 lakh individuals, make up 72.22% of its beggar population. Christians, who are 2.3% of the population, make up 0.88% of the beggar population (3,303 individuals). Buddhists (0.52%), Sikhs (0.45%), Jains (0.06%) and others (0.30%) follow.

Interestingly, more Muslim women seem to be begging as compared to Muslim men, a trend that is opposite to that of all communities except those categorised as Others'. The national average is 53.13% male beggars to 46.87% female beggars; for Muslims, the ratio is 43.61% male beggars and 56.38% female.

begger

Begging is illegal

Beggary is illegal in India, and is punishable by imprisonment of 3-10 years. The Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959 has been followed by almost all states in the country. Activists say the Act provides no clear categorisation of beggars, and even homeless and landless labourers who have migrated to different cities are categorised as beggars. Like many of India's laws, the anti-beggary legislation is based on an archaic British law against vagrants.

Under the Bombay Prevention of Begging Act, 1959, anyone having no visible means of subsistence and found wandering about in a public space is deemed as a beggar. All those who solicit alms in a public place under any pretence including singing, dancing, fortune-telling or street performing are also deemed as beggars.

The Act gives discretionary powers to the police to pick up anyone on suspicion that he is a beggar or a destitute with no means of fending for himself.

Activists say the law, rather than rehabilitating destitutes, criminalises the poor and those suffering from mental illnesses. Some states like Bihar have undertaken a programme for the rehabilitation of beggars. But other states like Maharashtra and West Bengal can put away an individual found on the street to prison. 

Comments

mohammad.n
 - 
Friday, 29 Jul 2016

Beggers are beggers, why religion is coming in everything nowadays?!

Satyameva Jayate
 - 
Friday, 29 Jul 2016

@kr.....
whats your problem yaar, convent ho ya private...what it has to go with beggers....?

kr
 - 
Friday, 29 Jul 2016

Half of Hindu population are studying in convent school... How many muslim study in convent.... They say is non Islamic.... I heard my neighborhood saying it

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 2,2025

cars.jpg

Mangaluru, Jan 2: The coastal city of Mangaluru witnessed yet another alarming car fire incident last evening, marking the latest in a series of similar mishaps in recent months. Fortunately, quick action by the driver and passengers prevented any injuries.

On January 1, a moving Volkswagen car caught fire on the road leading to the helipad at Maryhill. The passengers noticed flames emanating from the front of the vehicle. Acting promptly, the driver pulled over, and all four occupants exited safely.

Local residents attempted to douse the flames using water, and personnel from the Kadri fire service soon arrived to manage the situation. Despite their efforts, the car's engine was completely destroyed.

This incident adds to a growing list of car fire cases reported in Mangaluru recently:

December 16, 2024: A Hyundai car caught fire near City Centre Mall. The driver narrowly escaped.

November 15, 2024: A car was gutted within minutes near Kadri police station, though the driver escaped unharmed.

November 10, 2024: A Maruti 800 waiting at a petrol station caught fire and was completely burnt.

September 28, 2024: A parked BMW at Adyar was destroyed in a fire.

September 5, 2024: Another BMW caught fire near NITK.

In all these incidents, timely evacuation ensured that no injuries were reported. However, the frequency of such cases raises serious concerns about vehicle safety and the need for preventive measures.

Authorities and vehicle manufacturers must investigate the underlying causes of these fires to prevent future occurrences. Public awareness about vehicle maintenance and safety measures is also critical to avert such mishaps.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 1,2025

Udupi: In a shocking case of investment fraud, a 72-year-old man from Udupi, Karnataka, lost Rs 49 lakh after falling prey to a deceptive stock market scheme. The incident highlights the growing menace of online scams targeting unsuspecting individuals.

According to the complaint filed by Francis Castelino, an unknown individual added his son's mobile number to a WhatsApp group titled "Stock Market Navigation." The group shared stock market insights and promised lucrative returns, convincing Castelino’s son to invest. Trusting the information, the son persuaded his father to make substantial investments.

On December 30, 2024, Castelino transferred Rs 17,00,000, his wife contributed Rs 10,50,000, and their son invested Rs 21,50,000 to the bank account provided by the fraudsters. 

However, when Castelino attempted to withdraw the invested money, he and his family were pressured to reinvest further. Realizing that the promised profits and their principal amount were not forthcoming, the family approached the police for help.

A case has been registered at the Udupi CEN Police Station under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the IT Act and 318(4) BNS. Investigations are underway to track down the culprits and recover the lost funds.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
January 9,2025

Mangaluru: In a significant development, Mescom has proposed a phased electricity tariff hike starting with Rs 0.70 per unit for the fiscal year 2025-26. The proposal has been submitted to the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) for approval, signaling a potential increase in electricity costs for consumers.

Mescom emphasized that the current tariff structure is insufficient to meet operational expenses and manage revenue effectively. To address this, the company has invited public objections to the proposed hike.

Currently, the electricity supply cost is Rs 9.23 per unit, while the consumer tariff stands at Rs 8.53 per unit, leading to a shortfall of Rs 0.70 per unit. For the financial year 2023-24, Mescom reported revenue of Rs 5,924.73 crore against an expenditure of Rs 6,310.39 crore, resulting in a deficit of Rs 367.66 crore. For the 2025-26 fiscal year, projected revenue is Rs 5,850.81 crore, with an actual requirement of Rs 5,961.63 crore, creating a deficit of Rs 110.82 crore.

In a first, Mescom has submitted a multi-year tariff revision proposal to KERC. The plan outlines a hike of Rs 0.70 per unit for 2025-26, followed by Rs 0.37 per unit for 2026-27 and Rs 0.54 per unit for 2027-28.

"An increase in electricity tariff is inevitable," stated Jayakumar R, Managing Director of Mescom. "Mescom has submitted a proposal in this regard to KERC."

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.