Keep an eye on books available in jails, MHA asks states, prison DGs
MOVE IS AIMED AT ENSURING ‘ANTI-NATIONAL’ MATERIAL DOES NOT REACH INSIDE PRISONS, OFFICIALS AWARE OF MATTER SAID
NEW DELHI: The Centre has directed all states and prison authorities across the country to keep an appropriate oversight on the literature available in jail libraries to ensure that inmates are not influenced negatively and asked them to periodically verify the background of non-government organisations (NGOs) involved with prison activities.
“Effective steps should be taken to prevent prisons from becoming breeding ground for anti-national activities, for which regular inspection of prisons may be conducted,” said the ministry of home affairs (MHA) advisory to states and director general of prisons on effective prison management and strengthening security arrangements in jails. The trigger for MHA advisory, issued on Monday and seen by HT, on literature accessible to prisoners is not known, but people familiar with the development said the move is aimed at making sure “anti-national” material does not reach inside prisons.
“Background of NGOs involved with prison activities may be verified on periodic basis,” the advisory said.
“Appropriate oversight may also be kept on the literature available in prison libraries to ensure that inmates are not influenced negatively.”
A Mumbai court, while allowing activist Sudha Bhardwaj — arrested in Bhima Koregaon violence case — to access five books per month in January last year, had said that jail authorities cannot refuse to accept books sent for prisoners but they can go through the contents to ensure there is no objectionable material. Asking authorities to implement the suggestions, the MHA advisory said prisons should use effective jamming solutions with modern day advances in technology to restrict illegal access/ use of mobile phones by inmates. Radicalisation inside prisoners has been a major concern of intelligence agencies and has been raised in several meetings over the years.