Yesterday, after the music performance at Dargah Hazrat Inayat Khan, we were walking through the lanes of Nizamuddin to Ghalib's for dinner.
On the way we were approached by two boys who begged us for money. I was confronted with my age old dilemma - to give alms to children or not. One look at the kids and anyone could tell they are on "solution". We had the kids join us for dinner - better to give in kind than cash.
The manager at Ghalib's didn't let the unwashed kids sit with us. He also objected to them ordering whatever food they wished - till we intervened. Soon, the two boys started walking away with their packages of food. I stopped them. Why couldn't they just eat here? One kid started telling me about his old mother, younger sister, and handicapped brother at home, who all needed to be fed.
I saw through the whole brother without a leg story. My concern was that these two would sell this food and buy solution with the money. My friend told me to stop over thinking and just let them be.
On the streets of Delhi, solution is an everyday evil. I came to know of it when we did our first walk with Ramit in 2014. There were little boys at the maidan next to Red Fort with hollowed out faces and bodies. And they were all so happy. Too happy.
I hope the Delhi government confronts this evil soon. This isn't a law and order issue - these kids are sniffing tyre puncture repair solution, correction fluid, etc. We can simply regulate the sale and use of these items, and then put these kids through rehab. Like we have night shelters, we need safe places where kids can come and take a warm shower, wash their clothes, and gain some self respect. They should also be in school. Arvind has already said that he doesn't mind people coming from outside Delhi and getting treated in Delhi's hospitals. We should then also not have a problem with runaway kids coming to Delhi and being put through our schools and support systems.
Street kids are an everyday tragedy that everyone keeps turning their gaze away from. We can fix it. Once deaddicted, a lot of these kids could also be rehabilitated back in the homes they left behind - provided they aren't at risk there.
(Incidentally, the performer Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan sahab also showed up with his entourage after some time at Ghalib's)
On the way we were approached by two boys who begged us for money. I was confronted with my age old dilemma - to give alms to children or not. One look at the kids and anyone could tell they are on "solution". We had the kids join us for dinner - better to give in kind than cash.
The manager at Ghalib's didn't let the unwashed kids sit with us. He also objected to them ordering whatever food they wished - till we intervened. Soon, the two boys started walking away with their packages of food. I stopped them. Why couldn't they just eat here? One kid started telling me about his old mother, younger sister, and handicapped brother at home, who all needed to be fed.
I saw through the whole brother without a leg story. My concern was that these two would sell this food and buy solution with the money. My friend told me to stop over thinking and just let them be.
On the streets of Delhi, solution is an everyday evil. I came to know of it when we did our first walk with Ramit in 2014. There were little boys at the maidan next to Red Fort with hollowed out faces and bodies. And they were all so happy. Too happy.
I hope the Delhi government confronts this evil soon. This isn't a law and order issue - these kids are sniffing tyre puncture repair solution, correction fluid, etc. We can simply regulate the sale and use of these items, and then put these kids through rehab. Like we have night shelters, we need safe places where kids can come and take a warm shower, wash their clothes, and gain some self respect. They should also be in school. Arvind has already said that he doesn't mind people coming from outside Delhi and getting treated in Delhi's hospitals. We should then also not have a problem with runaway kids coming to Delhi and being put through our schools and support systems.
Street kids are an everyday tragedy that everyone keeps turning their gaze away from. We can fix it. Once deaddicted, a lot of these kids could also be rehabilitated back in the homes they left behind - provided they aren't at risk there.
(Incidentally, the performer Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan sahab also showed up with his entourage after some time at Ghalib's)