Prisoners in Bhopal turn over a new leaf, become scribes

Inmates in Bhopal jail have received their journalism diploma following an initiative by prison authorities to open up new vistas of employment for them after their release.

By Ram Chand Sahu

Bhopal, Nov 3 : Inmates in Bhopal jail have received their journalism diploma following an initiative by prison authorities to open up new vistas of employment for them after their release.

In a first endeavour to reform prisoners, 70 of them at the Central Bhopal Jail successfully completed their three months' journalism diploma course from Express Media Service (E.M.S.) Journalism Academy.

The three-month course was especially designed to hone their writing and reporting skills.

Many of these prisoners are now writing for reputed local and national newspapers. These prisoners-cum-scribes are quite sure about their objectives nd want to help society in their own way.

"After coming out of prison, I will make rural areas my field of work. There is lack of infrastructure in the rural areas. I want to devote the rest of my life exposing these lacunae," said Ajit Dubey, an inmate serving a life imprisonment term.

After learning writing and reporting skills, these prisoners now want to employ their zeal to reform society and report on a wide range of issues including politics and about life in a jail.

"In our journalism course, we learnt to write articles and make reports. We can report on subjects related to prison, from the outside world, politics and all aspects affecting society. We want to use our pen to inform the world about what is right and wrong," said Rajesh Batham, another prisoner.

The prison authorities lend full co-operation to these wannabe journalists and are equally upbeat about their achievements.

Puroshutan Somkunwar, Superintendent of police, Central Bhopal Prison showered praise on these prisoners, but sounded a word of caution.

"If they err as journalists, action will be taken against them as per law and their journalism diploma will also be revoked. But, the chances of these reformed prisoners doing anything wrong is just 0.1 per cent. One in hundred such prisoners could be a black sheep and that can only be called an aberration," said Somkunwar.

The once out of prison inmates generally faced ostracism, as society penalises them for their criminal past. But a journalism diploma and their zeal to do something worthwhile for society will certainly help in the process of their rehabilitation.

ANI