Page 50 - Tehelka Issue 8&9

OpiniOn
dilemmas
HumrA
QurAISHI
The Delhi-based writer
and columnist’s books
include kashmir: the
Untold story. She co-
authored a series of
writings with the late
Khushwant Singh and
her short stories are
part of anthologies.
The views expressed
are her own
50-51 Opinion Humra.indd 2-3
prisOn
The untold tragedy officers be dismissed
from service? Why is it
of India’s prisoners getting easy for the police
and agencies to arrest an
innocent and frame ter-
ror charges on him; with
which he sits languish-
India’s jails inhabit a growing number of undertrials, most of whom ing as an undertrial for
are in for want of surety amount. The conditions of prisons are years to come? Why are
details to jail deaths and
appalling. What will it take to shake the conscience of the nation? tortures not probed by an
independent agency or
any watchdog? What is
aively, I was under the are their official protectors! the condition of the ‘alive’
impression that after Today, amidst the bogus develop- jailed; not to overlook the
covering the two nights mental cries, where’s that required fact that all those who
that Salman Khan spent focus on the jails and on those languish- cannot take the strain die,
in jail, we would go a step ing in jails? If the political rulers carried slowly and steadily, day
N further and find out what even faint traces of genuine connect after day? Slow death!
the other prisoners face, languishing with the disadvantaged the first thing For God’s sake, can
night after night, in those hell holes. they would have done was to reach out there be some degree
But, nah, we didn’t bother to find out to the jailed inmates, at least in terms (not third degree!) of
the condition of our ‘caged’ men and of reforms. To begin with, they ought to transparency to what’s
women, sitting imprisoned in that Jodh- have expanded the very concept and taking place inside those
pur Jail or in the other jails and prisons idea of open jails. Let the jailed breath high walls? Also, how I
of the country. Mind you, this apathy fresh air. Even if they have committed photo: tehelka archives wish that several of the
when almost seventy-five percent of crimes it does not give the State the jailed political prisoners
the imprisoned are undertrials and with sanction to throttle them, slowly • Behind bars And if one were to read any of Let the people of the day write what’s taking place
that technically innocent. and steadily. Political the books written by former prison- in prison breath in their jails. Lalu Prasad Yadav
We weren’t jolted by the near death In fact, way back in 2003, the then leaders need ers, harsh truths come out. Anjum should write his autobiography,
condition of Indrani Mukerjea; even chairman of National Human Rights to focus on the Zamarud Habib’s ‘Prisoner No. 100: fresh air. Even with ample focus on his jailed years.
as news reports relayed she was either Commission, Justice AS Anand, had jails and the My Nights and Days In An In- if they have Leaving you with these lines of Faiz
poisoned or else drugged with an over- focused on the dismal conditions that condition of dian Prison’ (Zubaan), Mohammad Ahmad Faiz-
dose of medicines. Yes, all these murky the jailed face. During my interactions inmates Aamir Khan’s ‘Framed As A Terror- committed crimes “LOVE’S PRISONERS
build-ups well inside the high prison with him, he had detailed the conges- languishing ist’ (Speaking Tiger), Abdul Wahid it does not give the Wearing the hangman’s noose, like a
walls. Quite obviously, it’s not just the jail tion cum overcrowding in prisons, also there Shaikh’s — Begunah Qaidi (Pha- necklace,
staff that rules and overrules the jailed, the trauma faced by the undertrials, ros Media), Mufti Abdul Qayyum State the sanction The singers kept on singing day and
but also the political mafia. But how because of the delay and hurdles in get- Ahmad Mansuri’s ‘I Am A Mufti & I night,
would we know the actual and factual ting bail. Am Not A Terrorist:11 Years Behind to throttle them, kept jingling the ankle-bells of their
happenings; fed that we are on govern- To quote him from an interview the Bars’ (published by Jamat Ulama slowly and fetters
ment releases in the form of police given to me in 2003, “Yes, nearly 75% of Ahmedabad and Maharashtra), and the dancers jigged on riotously.
briefings and handouts! our jail population consists of under- Iftikhar Gilani’s ‘My Days in Prison’ steadily We who were neither in this camp nor
We haven’t even bothered to study trials, many of whom are innocent… A (Penguin) … Space constraints come that
the crucial ‘why’ inmates run away large number of undertrials languish in in way of my detailing the horrify- just stood watching them enviously.
from prison hellholes. Perhaps, they jails even after they are granted bail be- ing level of torture these hapless shedding silent tears.
are unable to cope with the daily round cause they are unable to raise the surety humans went through during not getting developed and spruced Returning, we saw that the crimson
of humiliation and cannot pick up the amount. In this context, we should their imprisonment, till they were up along the developmental cries? of flowers had turned pale
courage to talk about the trauma they consider the release of undertrials on proven innocent and set free by Where is the transparency in the and on probing within, it seemed
are undergoing. Who will listen to personal bonds.” Justice Anand had also the Courts. treatment meted out to the jailed? that where the heart once was
their long list of woes? How will they focused on the plight of the women Shouldn’t these books authored Why should we go only by police now lingered only stabbing pain.
articulate details of those torturous prisoners. He had mentioned about two by former prisoners be read by hand-outs? Why shouldn’t a non- Around our necks the hallucination of
rounds? specific jails where women prisoners the heads of the Human Rights governmental agency be allowed a noose
How will they or their families cope complained of the unavailability of Commissions? Also, shouldn’t we, to carry simultaneous investigative And on our feet the dance of fetters.”
with the aftermath, in the backdrop of sanitary napkins and with that of poor the not-so-jailed, question and probes? Why shouldn’t the biased
the fact that their unofficial tormentors menstrual hygiene. query: Why jails and prisons are and corrupt and ruthless police letters@tehelka.com
Tehelka / 15 may 2018 50 www.Tehelka.com Tehelka / 15 may 2018 51 www.Tehelka.com
02/05/18 5:44 PM