'Help ex-prisoners build lives'

He was speaking at a programme organised at the library in Central Prisons Mysore as part of National Library Week.

Urs said there was a prisoner named Mallikarjun from Sosale village in T Narsipur taluk in the district. He was a tailor by profession. However, he found it difficult to eke out a living after his release from the prison. The reason being he did not have any financial assistance even to buy a tailoring machine. Urs himself donated a machine to Mallikarjun and also saw to it that the latter fetched an order for sewing school uniforms, from Zilla Panchayat.  He is now a happy man with a family.

In this backdrop Urs exhorted the government to aid former prisoners. He also advised the prisoners to develop the habit of standing on their own legs instead of waiting for help from others. “You should light the lamp at your house on your own”, advised Urs. The society still has a set feeling of animosity towards the former prisoners, no matter how innocent he or she is.

There are also many among the jail inmates who have acquired enormous knowledge. Such people should spread the light of knowledge, he urged. Raining applause on the talents inside jail, Urs wanted them to scale greater heights.

Urs announced that taluk panchayat member Mahadevaswamy has agreed to provide financial assistance towards the construction of water sump at the jail.

Chinnappa, a prisoner who won a prize in folk singing category as part of 401st Dasara celebration, rendered a song on Lord Mahadeshwara to the applause of all. Winners of various other competitions organised as part of National Library Week and also Dasara were feted with prizes.

Deputy director of Library department M Kempaiah, chief superintendent of prisons P N Jayasimha, superintendent P Mallesh, ASP C Jogaiah, TP member Mahadevaswamy, social worker Basavaraj, librarian Poornima and others were present.