27, Oct 2023 | CJP Team

The flowers of harmony can blossom everywhere, on the ridge of open windows where one can nurture the bequest of freedom and also inside the walls of prison where people comprehend, dream & estimate the meaning of being free! However, in the midst of uncountable propaganda news, hate -speeches & widespread conspiracy theories, such tales of hope can get counted on the fingertips! But this Barabanki jail is a perfect example of how walls can liberate perspective, break the rusted locks of insight and shield a safe place to revive the kind and compassionate crux of life.

We should not forget that in the books of sanity, prisons are considered as a constructive place to reform and convert the criminals into a better person. The attempt to relink the prisoners with the striking spiritual values & egalitarian principles is significant; it also chalks down an example for other Indian jails where such practices may not be a part of the administrative curriculum. 

Amidst the systematic hate leading to growing anger and despair, it is important to showcase a lived reality of camaraderie, equality and sharing which is the bedrock of the Indian Constitution and secularism. That way we not only hold on to every thread of hope, but effectively project these narratives, lest we lose our will to fight the good fight. As part of our #EverydayHarmony series, CJP brings you instances where Indians share and care, every single day… our food, our businesses, our homes and our friendships. This instances show how we Indians continue to reject hateful and divisive agendas even while street violence and social media are used as part of a sinister, hate-filled political agenda to tell us otherwise. Let’s reinforce India’s everyday lived reality, and through that collectively and aggressively, uphold and defend a unique pluralism, a diverse culture and truly secular values. Donate now to help us combat hate and prejudice!

In the Islamic theology, the Ramzan is considered the most devout month of the year, a juncture to repent, return and remember the magnificence of Almighty Allah! Muslims stimulate the layers of faith and regulate their yearnings with Roza (fast), Namaz (prayers) and Zakat (Islamic concept of charity)! In our land of shared cultural bonds & linked traditions, Ramzan holds a vast impression over the social, cultural & political arena! From the leaders to the actors & common citizens the trend of Roza, Sehri & Iftar has been the real Raunaq (Charm) of the month of Ramzan! Thus, prisons also possess the right to celebrate the pious month. In fact, the spiritual refinement, sagacity of Iman, harmony, love and friendship are much more mandatory for inmates than ordinary people!

In the state of Uttar-Pradesh, the Barabanki prison has witnessed an unusual example of communal harmony where the jail-administration has taken a significant step towards the pathway of congruence. The management organised a grand iftar feast for the inmates to rekindle the gusto of religious confluence. According to the report of ABP Live, In the year 2022 the Hindu & Muslim prisoners together took part in a grand Iftar, where they shared food & prayers on the mat of collective harmony! It’s also noteworthy, that it was not a one-time glimpse of warmth and empathy, the lockup administration also holds a substantial previous record of such events! Some years ago, two hundred inmates from separate faiths kept the Roza followed by the Iftar, Sehri & other obligatory rituals. It’s truly inspiring how this prison is organising the event with the purest intentions and trying to catch the sizzling nerves of the believers to welcome the festival of Eid-Ul-Fitr with distinguished ethical standards & happiness!  Out of 1400 prisoners, around 250 inmates are fasting with the unwavering fortitude to water a positive transformation.    

UP : बाराबंकी जेल में दिखी एकता की अनोखी मिसाल, मुस्लिम कैदियों के साथ हिंदुओं ने भी रखा रोज़ा

◆जेल प्रशासन ने सभी रोज़ेदारों को कराया इफ़्तार pic.twitter.com/gxOgnl4LgX

— News24 (@news24tvchannel) April 19, 2022

The administration takes care of these Rozadars. Amid the Rozadars, around 15 people belong to the Hindu- religion but they have also joined each & every ceremonial with similar zeal & zest! Jailor Alok Shukla told the The Logical Indian– ‘It is an old tradition where Hindu inmates fast during Ramzan and Muslim inmates fast during Navratri. We provide them with proper meals and refreshments for iftar followed by food items for the next day in sehri.’

This spirit to understand & contribute to a quite different religious stream is the real saviour of Indian democratic values which underlines equality, freedom & the alluring culture of tolerance! 

The records of religion & caste inside the bulwarks

In a time when religious minorities are living as targets of hate and their rights are constantly targeted & invaded by the Hindutva throng, we must also pay attention to the numbers of attacks being made on the prisons to stop alleged cases of Christian conversions! 

Apart from this the prisons in India have strong grasp over the Muslim, Adivasis & Dalit community. As per the data out by the Prison Statistics of India (2013) the Indian prisons have 20% Muslims, 22% Dalits and 11% Adivasis which form a significant fraction of 53% in the total summation. 

This prison calculation attests the to the role religion plays in the process of communication and prison administration. The steps to unite the inmates can uplift the sense of exclusion and alienation to improve the day-to-day life among the inmates. The message of harmony and concord has a deep connection with the religious ethos. 

How harmony can transform the prison

The month of Ramzan is recognized as a treasured epoch for ‘Ibadat’. It is widely believed that the almighty Allah puts limitations on the evil-powers during the holy days. For the criminals who have the tags of certain crimes on their Daman, it’s a golden period to repent & turn back to goodness. 

On the roadmap of harmony, people who are generally restricted from social exposure get a chance to meet & socialise with other counterparts. This thrills their self-confidence & motivates them for happy transformations. 

Taking note of the positive influence of religion inside the jail, the Kerala government has permitted different organisations to conduct their religious and counselling work in April, 2023. As reported by Matters India, some NGOs had a persistent commitment for a constructive betterment in the prison setting, so the CM Pinarayi Vijayan allowed their work in order to restore psychological health of the inmates.  

A spiritual ambience can strengthen connected belief-systems, mechanism of affection and the democratic fraternity which is essential for a positive change inside the ramparts! 

United Nations Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners (December 14, 1990) provides all fundamental autonomies to jailbirds except the right to freedom. In the Andhra Pradesh v. Challa Ramakrishna Reddy case supreme court said that a prisoner, convict or under-trial can freely utilise his fundamental rights and the right to life. This deciphers that the right to perform religious rituals, build alliances and live a peaceful life are obtainable for the inmates. Communal harmony is a gift for masses and boon for the prisoners because like ordinary citizens they also deserve protection against the hate-wave.   

Related: 

India celebrates Durga-Pooja with zest, air of religious unity rules the country

Everyday Harmony: Muslim Man Risks Life To Save A Hindu Girl From Drowning In Madhya Pradesh

Love & Harmony over Hate: Int’l Day to Counter Hate speech, CJP’s unique efforts