We're afraid of facing world, says Tihar jail inmate

Tihar jail woman inmate Lesley is scared of facing the world after her release from the prison and so are others like her, she said on Saturday.

Lesly was speaking at a day-long programme "Beyond Prison Walls - Conversation on Prisoners' Rights", which brought together inmates, government functionaries, civil society, media, academic institutions and students.

The programme, aimed at initiating a conversation on issues concerning prison system and challenges faced by prisoners, was conducted by Tihar Prisons in collaboration with the Bureau of Police Research and Development, Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Delhi School of Social Work and the University of Delhi.

Speaking on the occasion, Justice B.S. Chauhan, Chairman of the Law Commission of India, said the privileges enjoyed by the rich in the criminal justice system must be brought to an end in the light of Article 21 (right to life and liberty) and Article 14 (equality before law) of the Constitution.

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister of Manish Sisodia welcomed the inmates by addressing them as "dignitaries" and said that dignity was important for all individuals.

Sisodia also promised to take the recommendations of programme forward.

The programme witnessed discussions on several topics, including "First day in prison", "Issues concerning women and children inside prisons" and "Lack of opportunities after release & addressing social stigma".

Vartika Nanda, Head of the Department of Journalism, Lady Shri Ram College, who took part in the discussion, told IANS: "There should be more creativity in prisons in the form of poems, artwork and equipment."

Nanda said that this would create positivity and won't let the traits and characters of hardened criminals creep into others.

"If there is one thing that should change, it's the attitude of people towards inmates once they go out of jail," Assistant Superintended of Prisons Jyoti Chaudhary said. "Society needs to be sensitised."

Monica Dhawan, Director of the India Vision Foundation, an NGO working for prison inmates said there were only few NGOs working for prisoners.

"There is no mechanism currently to see that prisoners adjust to the society and people don't abandon them when they go out of the jail," Dhawan told IANS.

Taking part in the discussion on "Issues concerning women and children inside prisons", Lesley said: "What I've observed is that once people leave jail, people shut them off. Even their families abandon them."

"We always have one fear: How am I going to face the world?" she said.

--IANS

nkh/nir