Maharashtra BJP MLA Parag Shah, known for his substantial wealth, recently stepped away from his usual lifestyle and spent several hours on the streets of Ghatkopar dressed as a beggar.
The unusual exercise was carried out during a special Jain religious period on the advice of Jain spiritual guru Namramuni. Shah, the MLA from Ghatkopar East, gave up his security and vehicle for the exercise and used makeup to make sure people would not recognise him.
Once disguised, Shah walked through the streets and approached people for alms. He also ate the food that people offered him and spent time sitting by the roadside like any other person seeking help.
Shah reflects on how people treat others
After the experience, Shah said it gave him an opportunity to observe how people behave when they do not know a person’s social position.
“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 said.
The BJP MLA later shared his experience with his spiritual guru and others.
Samosa seller offered food for free
Shah also spoke about the kindness he encountered while seeking alms in Ghatkopar.
He recalled that a person gave him Rs 20 and told him to have something to eat. On another occasion, a samosa seller gave him food without taking any payment after Shah said he did not have money.
After removing his makeup, Shah reportedly returned to some of the locations where he had earlier approached people. He then interacted with some of the same individuals without revealing that he had been the person they had encountered earlier while disguised as a beggar.
Maharashtra’s richest MLA candidate in 2024
Shah’s experiment has attracted additional attention because of his financial background.
According to his affidavit for the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Shah had declared assets worth more than Rs 3,383 crore, making him the wealthiest candidate in the state at the time.
A businessman with interests linked to the real estate sector, Shah previously served as a corporator in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation before becoming the BJP MLA from Ghatkopar East.
The experience offered the wealthy legislator a very different perspective on everyday life and the way people respond to others when wealth, position and identity are not known.
