The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Coimbatore News : Kindling patriotism among prisoners

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Sunday, Nov 16, 2008
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore

Kindling patriotism among prisoners

V.S. Palaniappan

Patriotic songs being played in prison in the morning and evening

On November 14 a total of six songs were played
Most of the songs are chosen from the collections of Mahakavi Bharathi

Coimbatore: In an effort to reform the prisoners and kindle patriotic fervour in them, the Prison Department has initiated an exercise by playing patriotic songs for half-an-hour both in the morning and evening.

The Director-General of Police (Prisons), R. Nataraj, has sent a set of 15 selected songs that could be played on a rotation basis every day.

The DGP has asked the Range DIGs of Prisons and the Superintendents of Central Prison to ensure that the cassettes are played without fail.

When in confinement, the prisoners are bound to go through an emotional battle and it was the ideal time for sowing good thoughts in their minds and ensure their reformation, hence the decision, the prison officials here added.

Already, prisons have skill enhancement jobs, yoga, meditation and learning centres.

Another step

Playing of patriotic songs is yet another step to prove that prisons are centres for reformation of persons who were victims of circumstances.

Prisons should no longer be punishment centres for serving sentences, they added.

The DIG of Prisons, Coimbatore Range, S.K. Narayanamoorthy and Superintendent of Central Prison, Coimbatore, P. Govindaraju, said that on the first day on November 14 (that marked the Children’s Day in memory of Jawarhalal Nehru) a total of six songs were played.

The songs included Tamil Thai Vazhthu, Vande Mataram, Velli Panimalai, Endru Thaniyum indha Sudanthira Thagam and Aduvome and Pallu Paduvome Anandha Sudanthiram adainthuvittome. Most of the songs were chosen from the collections of Mahakavi Bharathi, Mr. Govindaraju said.

Cassettes

The audio cassettes and compact discs were being circulated to all the sub-jails in Coimbatore and Coimbatore Range comprising Erode and the Nilgiris districts.

The 2,200-odd convicts and undertrial prisoners in Coimbatore Central Prison and about 500 persons in the nearly ten of the 16 sub-jails in the district are getting to hear these patriotic songs.

Every day at 8.30 a.m. and again at 7.30 p.m., the songs were being played for half-an-hour.

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