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They are homeless yet reside in a palace

Now here is an initiative that can be imbibed in India. Or would it be?

Venezuela President Hugo Chavez's government has literally opened its doors to the homeless -- and scores of them have taken residence in the architecturally prized 'Casa Amarilla', a former presidential home and now Foreign Ministry headquarters.

In a move critics say is crass populism but supporters hail as evidence of profound humanism, the socialist Chavez has exhorted all his ministries and military to throw open their doors for victims of last year's floods.

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They are homeless yet reside in a palace

A refugee girl climbs up a staircase at foreign minister headquarters in Caracas

They are homeless yet reside in a palace

A refugee girl studies in a room at the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Caracas

They are homeless yet reside in a palace

Refugees feed their children outside their rooms at the Foreign Ministry headquarters

They are homeless yet reside in a palace

Refugees play baseball at the backyard of the Foreign Ministry headquarters

They are homeless yet reside in a palace

A refugee brushes her daughter's hair in their room at the Foreign Ministry

They are homeless yet reside in a palace

A refugee boy plays with a toy car at the courtyard of the Foreign Ministry

 

They are homeless yet reside in a palace

A refugee boy sits at the courtyard outside his room at the Foreign Ministry

They are homeless yet reside in a palace

Children who are temporarily sheltered at the Foreign Ministry, play with a plastic ball