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Gandhigiri new leitmotif in jail, civic corridors Anuradha Mascarenhas |
Pune, September 27: If Deputy Inspector General of Prisons (DIG), Maharashtra Madhav Karve has his way, Lage Raho Munnabhai, the film which has made Gandhigiri popular, will be screened in one of the most unexpected places in the city, the Yerawada Central Prison.
Gandhism, however, is not new within the prison walls. On October 2, thirty-three convicts, most facing life imprisonment, will write a 100-mark paper on the Mahatmaâs principles. It is the third consecutive year that the examination, conducted by Gujarat Vidyapeeth, is being held in the jail.
ââWhile encouraging Gandhian thoughts is not new in prisons, the examination Gandhi Vichaar Pariksha motivates and challenges the convicts to imbibe these principles,ââ said Karve.
ââWe conduct classes for the convicts and invite them to apply for this examination, ââ coordinator Asim Sarode said. Last year, the examination was conducted at the jails in Yavatmal, Nagpur and Amravati.
ââGandhian thoughts provide peace of mind and helps the convict repent for his actions. This should help him lead a better life once he is released from jail,ââ said Karve.
Jail superintendent Rajendra Dhamne said convicts get special texts and a function on October 2 will felicitate convicts for good behaviour. Some books available for study are Gandhiji, a book written by Jugat Ram Dubey, an autobiography of the Mahatma and Bapu Meri Ma.
It is not only the convicts who will sit for this examination. Some 30 students of Laxmanrao Apte School and inmates from Chaitanya mental home, are also in the fray to make the grade on October 2.
URL: http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=202979