A necessary evil

Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, described the man-pulled rickshaw as " A disgraceful pratice that flourished when the british lorded over the people" in the economist of February 3rd 2007.

I completely agree with him. It is a practice that borders on inhuman and should definitely outlawed. As they are planning to do in West Bengal. However, what the trade does do; is give the rickshaw pullers the dignity of labour and the ability to earn their own wages. Were it not for the trade thousands of rickshaw wallahs would've already taken to begging. Instead of encouraging the desire to work by providing options, the government is conducing begging.

Although the idea behind outlawing this inhuman practice is noble is it realistic?

In 2006 the Indian government decided to ban child labour. It is another practice that at times is definitely inhuman, but if the child has a good employer it is the lesser of all the other available evils. Which include prostitution and if the families of the children are in really dire straits organ selling. There were several interviews with children who we were in roadside cafe's as cleaners when the news of this new law came out. The children were horrified.

It's not productive just to outlaw practices, without giving the people another option. It just forces people into crime and begging. With their only means to livelihood taken what is to stop and uneducated person, desperate for one square meal a day for his family and children, to take to crime, or worse sell a kidney to the highest bidder?

Should we not look for long term cures rather than short terms fixes?