Alms and the man: Beggars, even blind ones, feel the heat of demonetisation

Subhro Niyogi | TNN | Nov 26, 2016, KOLKATA: Compassion, a finer human emotion that responds to sufferings of others and motivates a desire to help, is one of the casualties of the cash crunch that demonetisation. Ever since PM Narendra Modi announced the scrapping of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes, notes and coins of smaller denomination have suddenly become dear. With people loath to part with them, it is hurting those who live on pavements and survive on alms.

At Howrah Station, the week gone by has been one of the worst in recent memory for Sushanta Roy, a blind pauper who begs in the subway used mostly by suburban train passengers. In the station that is used by over 1 million commuters daily, only a handful stop by give him alms. Now, the numbers have suddenly dwindled even further. It is as though all compassionate commuters had shifted to another station. The shuffling feet that Roy hears all day long tells otherwise.

"I have heard that there is a scramble for Rs 100 notes that have suddenly become the currency to vie for. What about coins of Re 1, Rs 2 and Rs 5 denomination? Why are people shying away from the habit of giving alms? Is the situation so desperate that people can't even spare a bit?" wondered Roy, who has been living on alms at Howrah station for 35 years now. Before Modi's November 8 speech, the coins that were thrust into his outspread arms by commuters rushing by would add up to 270-300 a day. Now, that has dwindled to Rs 50-60, barely enough to survive. If Roy's blindness drew pity earlier, now everybody has turned a blind eye.

Weather-beaten, gray-haired and wrinkled, Noorjahan Biwi has spent her life at the doorstep of Moula Ali's mazhar at the intersection of AJC Bose Road and CIT Road. She was born on the adjoining footpath, grew up there, got married, had children and is now a grandmother. She has lived on the compassion of those who come to pray to the seer and seek his blessing for the fulfilment of their wish. But in the past fortnight, people appear to have suddenly become too busy to even spare a glance.

Men and women who visited the shrine would be very generous to all those who live and beg by the gate. But of late, the visitors have found novel ways to avoid them. Most of them get engrossed on their phones as soon as they approach the mazhar. The 'phone calls' end as soon after they enter the shrine. It's the same on the way out. Others are seen glancing at a newspaper or some other document at hand, or simply appearing to be in great hurry that day.

"The change of behavior is perplexing. Earlier, some would give Rs 5 coin or Rs 10 note. Now, those who come give only Re 1 and Rs 2 coins," said Noorjahan who now gets a paltry Rs 30-40 a day against Rs 275-300 a couple of weeks ago.

Sarara Molla, who begs from motorists that stop at the Park Street-Chowringhee traffic signal, has seen even regular alms givers turn away. While some of them, mostly women, would stop ahead of the intersection to give her money even when the signal was green, now the very motorists either speed away or keep the window rolled up when they stop at the signal. The sight of Sarara carrying a two-year-old child does not prick the conscience or move hearts.

It that wasn't bad enough, shortly after the PM announced demonetization, a man approached Sarara and exchanged a Rs 500 note for Rs 490 worth loose change. Now, she is stranded with a currency note that no one will take. "I don't have an ID card to change the money, nor an account to deposit it. It's cruel," she says bitterly.