Young man campaigns against criminalization of destitutes

By Dilip -

MUMBAI: Twenty nine-year-old, Tarique Mohammad Qureshi, wears his heart on his sleeves as he leads a crusade against criminalization of destitution. Six years ago, when he was pursuing his masters at Tata Institute of Social Science, he had enlisted local boys to help in field work. One day, many went missing; they had all been arrested on charges of beggary. Nearly 20 states and the Union Territory of Delhi treat beggary as criminal offence. State welfare departments and the local police can carry arbitrary raids to clean up the streets — anyone who looks impoverished and ragged, such as a daily wage labourer, can be picked up. Then the person is produced in a special beggar's court, where typically criminal charges are slapped and what follows is an indefinite custody.

 "Beggary prevention laws — largely relics of the British era — were meant to not merely detain but also rain and rehabilitate. However, the focus stops at custodial detentions. Majority of those rounded up are the homeless, the destitute, the aged, physically or mentally disabled whose families have abandoned them and victims of sexual and domestic abuse. They are arrested based on their appearance — their only crime is destitution," says Tarque indignantly. Tarique was shocked when he went to meet the missing boys. "The custodial home was overcrowded and reeked of severe injustice and inhumane treatment. I was outwardy quiet but internally distraught. Honestly, it wasn't a well-planned intervention but an emotional reponse and Koshish — a TISS field action project was born," he added.

 Tarique was the first outsider to be permitted inside a custodial home for his initial field work. Since then, with the help of various stakeholders, there has been a positive outcome resulting in the significant drop to a few hundred of those in custodial homes in both Mumbai and Delhi. Koshish has intervened in s many as 20,000 cases to date. Tarque is also a member of the working group on urban poverty, national dvisory council. Recently, Ashoka an international body of social enrepreneurs, recognizing his efforts has elected him as fellow. He follows multi-pronged approach to bring bout a system change. In Mumbai, the magistrate's office of the Beggar's Court, has permitted Koshish to collect data and evidence on those arrested, enabling subsequent appropriate action.

 Those abandoned by their families are reunited with them, local NGOs provide financial support and counselling. Women are sent to women shelters and those mentally ill to facilities equipped to take care of them. An 'employers collective' encourages them to secure their worker's release and reinstate them. A 'call home' programme enables people to reach out to their families and secure release. Conditions at custodial homes are also being improved... Read more:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/29-yr-old-wages-a-war-against-criminalization-of-destitutes/articleshow/17838988.cms

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