JOIN USIt's time for class at Central jail
A study centre of the university was opened at the jail premises amid the presence of VC, KSOU, Prof K S Rangappa, Judge, Principal District and Sessions Court H P Sandesh, Principal Chief Judicial Magistrate Raja Somashekar, Mayor Sandesh Swamy, CEO, ZP, G Satyavathi among other dignitaries.
Chief superintendent of the jail, T H Lakshminarayan said as many as 97 prisoners, majority of them convicts had applied for various courses, and of them 63 including three women have got approval from the higher ups. Among those who have enrolled, two are for post-graduation, apart from a large chunk selecting degree and certificate courses.
As a temporary arrangement, a building in the premises will be utilised as study centre besides conducting contact classes. They will be writing g exams within the precincts of the jail. It has been decided to construct a permanent centre for education in the vacant place in the premises. T H Lakshminarayan exhorted the generous minded persons to provide financial assistance to realise the plan. Resource persons from KSOU will be conducting the classes once in a week. Answering to a question, T H Lakshminarayan claimed innocence about the courses that were launched by Bangalore University two years ago for the benefit of the prisoners.
Rangappa said he readily agreed to offer courses free, but stressed Anthakarana for creating basic infrastructural facilities at the earliest.
Earlier, president of the trust Prof P V Nanjaraj Urs handed over a cheque for Rs eight thousand to Lakshminarayan to be given to those women whose handicrafts made of cocoons were sold through Prathima Art Gallery of Ramsons. Urs said a total of Rs 16,000 was generated through the sale of those items. Of which Rs eight thousand will be utilised as seed money to buy materials for the next batch of interested women to be trained by the sericulture department.
Reacting to the plea for releasing of lifers on good conduct, that has taken the form of an issue, Judge, Principal District and Sessions Court H P Sandesh made it clear that the matter was before Governor. However, he announced that a special lok adalat will be convened on October 29 for the benefit of those accused of petty theft cases under section 324 of IPC.
This follows a Supreme Court ruling in a case. He succinctly said that the facility is available only for those who are facing one or two such cases booked up to 2009. In the case of those facing multiple charges and considered as habitual offenders under law, he said they will be not tried in special lok adalat. The complainants in the cases will be summoned to reach out an accord between them and the accused. He said the adalat had to be postponed twice earlier due to some unavoidable circumstances. The judge also disclosed that he has been reviewing the cases pertaining to undertrials every month. In the Mysore district alone there are 234 cases of undertrials and has instructed the judges for speedy disposal.
Mayor Sandesh Swamy inaugurated the third batch of training for 40 selected women prisoners, by Sericulture Department.
Pen mightier!
Anitha and Asha from Shimoga, the undertrials facing charges of naxalism have also enrolled, but their desire to pursue education hangs in balance as they have to obtain permission from the court.
As is the rule, government sponsors education for the convicts, while it is exactly opposite in the case of undertrials. Both have enrolled for PG Diploma in journalism.
Anitha was pursuing LLB after her BA in journalism, when she was arrested by the police two years ago. Asha has to her credit MA in history.
Both had actively involved themselves in Thunga Ulisi Horata Samithi and Komu Souharda Vedike.