PIL in HC seeks Ramzan meals for Muslim prisoners

CHANDIGARH: A petition has been filed in the Punjab and Haryana high court seeking direction to the Haryana government to provide ‘Sehri’ and ‘Iftar’ meals for Muslim prisoners, who are fasting during the month of Ramzan.

The PIL has been filed by a Mewat resident, Haseen, who had told the court that authorities, upon reading reports in media that no separate arrangements had been made for special food for Muslim prisoners during Ramzan, were approached. However, they have not responded positively. The holy month of Ramzan started on May 27. The timings for Sehri (morning meals) and Iftar (meals for breaking fast after sunset) are different from the timings when the jail foods are served. It is considered obligatory on the part of every Muslim to observe fast and not to eat or drink anything between ‘dawn’ to ‘sunset’.

The matter was taken up by the high court bench of justice SS Saron and justice Darshan Singh. The bench adjourned the matter for July 11, asking the petitioner to place on record certain documents.

Petitioner’s lawyer Mohammad Arshad had argued that in 1980s, a committee was set up by the central government on jail reforms under the chairmanship of justice (retd) AN Mulla, which recommended that prisoners should get special diet on religious festivals and national days and they should be allowed to follow their own religion and belief and to retain religious and other books. “Though the prisoners are serving sentences in various jails, they cannot be deprived of their fundamental rights. The state is under obligation to provide all adequate facilities to the prisoners’ irrespective cast, creed and religion so as to enable them perform their religious functions in order to encourage them for reformation,” Arshad had argued.

PLEA SEEKS DIRECTION TO HARYANA GOVT TO PROVIDE ‘SEHRI’ AND ‘IFTAR’ MEALS TO MUSLIM INMATES