Gym and AOL at Sajiwa Jail : Refreshing change
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: November 29, 2012 -

Animal Gym and SWA presented gym equipment for Opening a Gym at Central Jail Sajiwa on July 15 2012
Pix - Animal Gym

Refreshing and if we may add, so out of character -Gymnasium and Art of Living for the inmates of Sajiwa Jail, that is.

This may seem at odds with the principles of The Sangai Express which has never believed in rationing the acid in our pen or write ups in this column, but there definitely seems to be something good going on within the high security walls of Sajiwa Jail.

A good example of taking the conventional understanding of administration out of the context of the bureaucracy and make some sense of what jail administration is all about. Not an easy task.

From petty criminals to cold blooded murderers, from drug addicts to wannabe Charle Sobrajs and insurgents, some of whom deserve the status of political prisoners, Sajiwa Jail is home to all of them and more.

It is also home to quite a number of corrupt employees, who have not batted an eyelid while smuggling in items for the prisoners and this may range from tobacco products to mobile phones.

For years Sajiwa Jail has been in the news for all the wrong reasons.

From riots to some high profile inmates dictating terms and serving monetary demands and threats from within the jail complex constraining the State police to conduct search operations within the jail premises, Sajiwa Jail had gained a certain degree of notoriety down the years.

It is for this reason why The Sangai Express had on more than one occasion pulled no punches in coming down on the state of affairs within the jail.

However there also comes a time when the plus points need to be noted and the series of programmes taken up inside the jail, as reported in the November 27 issue of this paper, is something notable.

A series of exercises taken up for the inmates, that gives substance and meaning to the understanding of jail administration.

The first lady IPS officer of the country, Kiran Bedi, may be Crane Bedi to quite a large number of people, but her Magsaysay Award came from her pioneering works at Tihar Jail.

A stellar example to demonstrate that Jail posting may not be necessarily seen and understood as ‘punishment posting.’ This is where the endeavour of Mr IK Muivah, the Jail SP, becomes noteworthy.

In a State like Manipur where officers are equated with their place of posting, it would need something more than a cursory interest in the job to take things to a different level and this is where the efforts of the Jail SP need to be acknowledged.

Sure the Gym and the Art of Living classes may have been there at Sajiwa Jail earlier, but it is the earnestness with which these aspects are pursued that needs to be noted.

This is not to say that everything is hunky dory within Sajiwa Jail. A lot more needs to be done. For this some bold and revolutionary steps need to be taken.

Why not explore the idea of a free condom vending machine within the Jail premises ? Is there a library inside the Jail ? If yes, why not think about getting more reading material ? If no, then why not open one ?

How hygienic is the kitchen ? The understanding of jails should extend beyond the mere reading of a place where hard nosed criminals are housed.

More importantly than this, a jail needs to be seen as a place where criminals should be given the opportunity to relearn the lessons of how to reintegrate with society.

In short this means that the inmates will need more than Gyms and AOLs.

Points that need to taken note of seriously by the persons helming the administration at Sajiwa Jail.