Maharashtra BJP MLA Parag Shah, who is reportedly among the richest legislators in the country, recently spent around four hours on the streets of Mumbai posing as a beggar. During the unusual experience, he sought alms from people and received a total of ₹84.
Shah himself shared details of the experience, saying that his Jain spiritual guru, Shri Namramuni Maharaj, had advised him to experience life as a beggar for a day. Following the advice, the MLA decided to step out and experience the realities faced by people who depend on begging for their livelihood.
According to Shah, he first went to a railway station after leaving his home. He said police at the station became suspicious of him as he sat there in the appearance of a beggar. He later spent nearly four hours moving around Mumbai and asking people for money.
‘I Felt Like an Ordinary Human Being’
Reflecting on the experience, Shah said it made him realise that he was simply an ordinary human being, without any distinction of caste or religion.
He said the experience also showed him how differently people treat those who appear to have nothing. While some people drove him away or ignored him, others extended help without knowing anything about his identity.
Shah said the experience taught him that respect gained through position, money and prestige is not always permanent. According to him, genuine respect earned through humanity and compassion is a more meaningful and lasting form of wealth.
Shah Reportedly Has Assets Worth Around ₹4,000 Crore
Parag Shah is a BJP MLA from Maharashtra and is widely reported to have assets worth around ₹4,000 crore. Despite his considerable wealth and political stature, he chose to temporarily step away from his usual identity to understand the experience of people living on the margins of society.
Shah said the four-hour experience gave him several important lessons about life and humanity. He described Mumbai not only as a city of dreams but also as a city where acts of human kindness can be found.
He added that the experience of spending a day as a beggar would remain with him for the rest of his life.