Maliwal sends 2nd request after Tihar denies stay
NEW DELHI: The DCW chief Swati Maliwal has been denied permission to spend three days and nights at Tihar Jail by the authorities citing provisions in the jail manual. Maliwal wanted to spend three days and nights to understand the problems faced by the women inmates. Maliwal has again written a letter to Tihar Jail Director General Sudhir Yadav reinforcing her demand to stay.
The Tihar authorities have also asked for the specific complaint that the women commission received from the inmates. Citing the provisions in the jail manual, the authorities in their reply have said that the inspection could only be permitted during the day time.
“I understand that there are approximately 600 women and children presently in Tihar Jail. We are duty bound under the Delhi Commission for Women Act to look into their issues and help resolve the same. The Commission once again reiterates its request for staying in Tihar Jail for 3 consecutive days and nights,” wrote Swati Maliwal in the letter reasserting her demand to stay in the jail.
The Commission believes that inspection during night time is extremely important for it allows the inspecting team to connect better with the inmates and gain their confidence so as to encourage them to share their sufferings without fear of authorities and empathise with the problems experienced by them during night time as well. The commission says that this also gives the team enough time to interact with maximum inmates.
The commission is of the opinion that since similar experiments conducted by the Commission in various shelter homes and night shelters across the Capital have yielded excellent results, this too would yield positive results. Citing an example from the past to DG Tihar, Maliwal said: “I would like to bring to your notice the instance of Vipassana meditation course organised for Tihar Jail inmates some years ago wherein Hon’ble teachers Mrs. and Mr. Goenka stayed continuously for 11 days in the jail premises with the inmates.”
The commission also said that in case there is some security concern, it is ready to give an undertaking for the same.