Arvind Kejriwal warned Delhi's social welfare minister Sandeep Kumar for 'inhuman' drive against beggars.
New Delhi:
Arvind Kejriwal used Twitter today for an intervention, warning one of his six ministers to immediately abort a poorly-conceived scheme to remove beggars from Delhi's roads.
Social Welfare Minister Sandeep Kumar reportedly had plans to launch a drive on Monday to pick up beggars and move them to a state-run home. Social activists have said that the plan lacks any merit because it offers no rehabilitation prospects.
Mr Kumar's plan for "raids" were to last for 10 days and would be conducted by 10 teams, according to officials in his ministry. Beggars would then be produced in a local court which would decide whether to place them in a government shelter or free them.
"The issue is more complex and has to be dealt with more sensitively. And the blueprint prepared by the minister had conceptual flaws which was bound to create controversy," said an unnamed official quoted by the Press Trust of India.
"There are two ways to make a city beggar-free. One is to create a social security system for vulnerable and destitute people, and the other is to drive them out. A threat is used to frighten people away," said social activist Harsh Mander.
Most inhuman n futile exercise that social welfare dept cud think of. Am directing them to stop it immediately pic.twitter.com/nUmAUMDsd1
- Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) July 15, 2016
Social Welfare Minister Sandeep Kumar reportedly had plans to launch a drive on Monday to pick up beggars and move them to a state-run home. Social activists have said that the plan lacks any merit because it offers no rehabilitation prospects.
Mr Kumar's plan for "raids" were to last for 10 days and would be conducted by 10 teams, according to officials in his ministry. Beggars would then be produced in a local court which would decide whether to place them in a government shelter or free them.
"The issue is more complex and has to be dealt with more sensitively. And the blueprint prepared by the minister had conceptual flaws which was bound to create controversy," said an unnamed official quoted by the Press Trust of India.
"There are two ways to make a city beggar-free. One is to create a social security system for vulnerable and destitute people, and the other is to drive them out. A threat is used to frighten people away," said social activist Harsh Mander.
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