Begging is a fundamental right – High Court

Well! Though these are not the exact words said by the High court of Delhi... it has said that criminalising begging is against the fundamental right of a citizen. The court is of the view that a person resorts to begging only as a last resort to survive. It further blamed the government for the menace of begging- `` Begging is a symptom of a disease, of the fact that the person has fallen through the socially created net. The government has the mandate to provide social security to everyone, to ensure that all its citizens have basic facilities, and the presence of beggars is evidence that the state has not managed to provide these to all its citizens," observed the bench. It has further commented that there is no use of detaining beggars in shelter homes. But the court has hinted two exceptions for this right. Employing people for receiving alms or using living things as exhibits for begging would still be a crime.