<B>By Deepa BHOOKHUN</B>

I think we all have in common our reaction to beggars. We simply don?t know how to react. Ok I?ll qualify that statement because my hardhearted colleague who sits opposite me just told me he never gives money to beggars and charities because he doesn?t believe in alms giving. Fair enough, I suppose - at least that saves him from the agonizing ?Should I? Shouldn?t I?? that usually follows any encounter with a beggar.

But my colleague will never make a good politician. Imagine heading a government and saying to people (and you know the love of people for freebies) ?Brothers and sisters, I believe it?s degrading for you to ask anything of government. Get a job and buy yourself some dignity?; yeah right, he?d be booted out of power before he shuts his mouth.

But how do you get it right? When people were told government was going to give them a hardship allowance of Rs 5,000, the beneficiaries of the allowance somehow forgot to be grateful. They forgot that this allowance was actually a favour; that this money was not due to them. So they take to the streets, they chant hostile slogans and they aid and abet disorderly behaviour just to ensure that they will get the money.

And then after the Rs 5,000 have been paid to them and they have no more bones of contention, they still manage to find more reasons to complain. Some of them have ?heard? that basic food stuff was being distributed and, angered by the fact that they didn?t get any, they demonstrate in front of an MP?s house just so people know they are angry.

So what do you do in the face of this sort of behaviour? Do you buy them food? Do you give them some more money? Different situation. Same predicament.

Of course one could make the case that those people must be in dire straights for them to have resorted to this kind of behaviour. And if people are that badly off, then it?s government?s fault. There?s some sense to the argument.

But then there?s human behaviour as well. I have a 28 month-old niece and I take an immense joy in watching her keen little brain pick up adult behaviour and adult weaknesses. And as my beautiful niece imitates adult behaviour and tries to be a little madam, she is also fast learning a few tricks - one of them is how to get her way. If you say no to her (which I often do, just to test her), she gets in a strop and sulks and goes to the person she knows will always say yes to her in fear that, if they say no, she won?t love them anymore. And I am deprived of her company for a few hours.

And when they grow up and become voters and you don?t give them what they ask for, they take to the streets. Charming, huh?

But the thing is, we have to decide whether we want people to love us or respect us.

I?d pick respect any day. Love usually comes along later. And when it grows out of respect, it?s even better.