Concern for Prisoners
Take a look at this article by RK Raghavan, ex-CBI Director:
At the outset, I'd like to emphasise that I'm a bit of a fan of RK Raghavan - a man of integrity, an excellent professional, highly respected across the political spectrum, eloquent with words.
Having said that, I wonder why such exceptionally intelligent people like him focus so much attention on the perceived plight of prisoners, especially those who are convicted after a due process of law. I could possibly understand if he's talking about under-trial accused persons being ill-treated under custody.
So far as convicted prisoners (I'm speaking exclusively in the Indian context) are concerned, I think that they should be provided an atmosphere that is on par with the bottom 25% of the Indian population in terms of facilities, food, clothing, access to medical facilities, etc.
While I don't know of the present conditions in places like the now famous Tihar jail, the description that one gets to read suggests a reasonable lower-middle-class urban life style being provided to the inmates. I see no reason why the convicted prisoners should be provided such "luxuries", when a vast number of law-abiding citizens ranging from debt-ridden farmers, rickshaw-pullers, house-maids, etc. struggle to make both ends meet. Well over one-third of the law-abiding citizens hardly manage to get two square meals every day.
I'm sure that the convicted prisoners certainly deserve a treatment and life-style that is at best on a par with the poor farmers, rickshaw-pullers and house-maids.
In a different context, Gandhiji supposedly claimed that he will wear something more than his typical loin cloth when all Indians can afford it. Similarly, let us certainly be humane to our prisoners, but provide them only such facilities that the Government can guarantee to ALL INDIANS.
Regards,
N
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