MUMBAI: Maharashtra BJP MLA Parag Shah, one of the state’s richest legislators, recently gave up his security detail, cars and expensive belongings to dress as a beggar and spend a day seeking alms on the streets of Ghatkopar, an experience he said gave him a glimpse of the “reality of life”.A video of the Ghatkopar (East) MLA dressed as a beggar went viral on social media, leaving many viewers surprised before the reason behind his unusual exercise emerged.Shah, a businessman, undertook the exercise on the advice of his Jain spiritual guru Namramuni during the ongoing special month, considered significant in Jain religious tradition.Following his guru’s suggestion, Shah stayed away from his security arrangements, vehicles and expensive belongings. He also underwent makeup to avoid being recognised and spent several hours on the streets in the guise of a beggar.“All the respect and honour, the people who line up to meet you — the same people, when I go to them, become taller than me. So, that is the reality of life,” Shah maintained while recounting his experience.The BJP politician noted the exercise also showed him the helpful nature of the people in Mumbai.“Someone gave me Rs 20 saying, ‘Go baba, eat food’. There was a samosa seller there. I went to him and took a samosa, and he gave it without any charge. I saw one thing, Mumbai city is such that people here are always ready to help one another,” Shah recounted.“And that is my own experience’¦ when I told the samosa seller that I did not have money, he still gave me the samosa with a smile ‘the man was very small, a poor hawker ‘ but without making a face even once, he gave me the samosa,” he said.Shah, who is active in the real estate sector, not only sought alms but also consumed the food he received and sat by the roadside like a beggar. He later narrated the experience to his guru and other people.After removing his makeup, Shah revisited some of the places he had visited while dressed as a beggar and spoke to the same people again. The exercise allowed him to reflect on their reactions without them knowing his identity at the time.Shah is known for his considerable wealth. In his affidavit filed for the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, he had declared assets worth more than Rs 3,383 crore, making him the state’s richest candidate at the time.The realtor-turned-politician has also served as a corporator of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.(With Agency Inputs)
