The parappana agrahara redemption
I was in jail between 1986 to 1988. Jails those days were literally ruled by the underworld, says Sridhar.
‘Jail’. The word never fails to rouse curiousity, with atrocities in high-security units made infamous through cinema and popular culture. And nothing piques public interest quite like a celebrity receiving a sentence - will he receive special treatment? Agni Sreedhar, reformed gangster and an ex-convict who spent 10 years in prison recount some of their own experiences in the big house and explain why, despite the illicit perks available to VIPs, there’s no worse place to be than jail, report M.G. Chetan and Aknisree Karthik.
Q: You were in jail for sometime. Can you share your experience?
Sridhar : I was in jail for one year and eight months. Of this time I spent one year and two months in hospital. As for life in jail, it is not life at all. Nobody wants to spend even one day in jail, not only because of how society will see you or feeling demoralised, but because the feeling of one's freedom being curtailed is just killing. I will tell you about one incident. When I was in jail, a beggar was arrested and brought in. He was desperately trying to get out on bail. When I asked him why was he so desperate when he got food and a place to sleep in jail, he said he couldn’t spend even a day within four walls. What this means is , even if you are given good food and a place to sleep, you cannot be happy unless you have freedom.
How was your time in jail?
Sridhar: I was in jail between 1986 to 1988. Jails those days were literally ruled by the underworld. If there were 2,000 inmates, there were easily 500 rowdies among them. So passing the time was easy for such groups. Some played cards, some passed time singing. It does not mean that they were happy. The fact that they could not move out of the compound and from their barracks after 7 pm was enough to make them depressed. Today the news is only about VIPs lodged in prison. But the fact is those who are from the underworld are the key figures in a jail.
It’s alleged that special privileges are given to VIP prisoners in jail.
As I told you, the basic requirement for a human being to lead a happy life is freedom. When it’s gone, everything is gone. Some VIP prisoners could be given some special privileges. But it will practically not change their life in prison by even one per cent. They may get good food compared to others, but is that enough? The feeling that you can’t meet our family, friends, go out to a movie or a park can kill you physically and emotionally. Just imagine that you have all the facilities at home, but are not allowed to step out. Then your home itself becomes a jail.
Were special privileges given to VIPs during your days in jail?
I was with Jairaj, the don of those days. So we got really good food and respect from the staff. But nothing can match freedom.
One is sent to jail to be reformed. But is this happening in our jails?
Is that happening in the outside world? Reformation does not apply only to those who are in jail. What is happening in our society today shows that we all need some reformation. When the situation outside itself is pathetic, how can you expect it in jails. However, inmates should be given counselling and taught philosophy to understand life better.
‘Good food, visitors, later hours: It helps to be a VIP in jail and convicted babus have it best’
As the iron bolts slide into place with a metallic clang at the end of the day, the value of freedom sinks in with a force so brutal that for many inmates it changes the way they react to the sound of a bolt. Certain situations, they say, cannot be expressed and can only be experienced. Imprisonment certainly counts as one of them.
A prison is intended to be a correctional centre for convicts and a place for judicial remand of undertrial prisoners. I was not aware of any law that says a prisoner’s social status goes with him to prison. I was under the impression that a prisoner goes to prison for his misdeeds and that he is stripped of many privileges as a free citizen regardless of who or what he is. But here is the catch. There is a difference between a prisoner and an important prisoner. Apparently, for the administration of the prison, where I spent my prime, there is a different scale for the high and mighty.
While courts do not make a distinction, the prison is entirely different. Once imprisoned a VIP should be stripped of his status and treated like other prisoners. But it is the other way round as the “prisoner” status is more or less removed, and the “VIP” status continues.
Now, what exactly are the perks of this status? Is it a stroll on Brigade Road, or a shopping spree as was alleged recently? No, it is not. This is not Colombia for something as brazen as that to happen. What it means is that the VIP gets to spend more time with visitors, gets better food, gets locked up late, his movements are not restricted and he will not be “shooed” away like a disgusting creature when its time for lock- up. It also means that the doctors will treat the patient like well, a VIP.
Now, all of this may appear trivial, but try telling this to the faceless thousands of inmates who are treated like subterranean creatures. Two hours of extra time outside the barracks or cell is priceless. Not being waved away dismissively with a fibre lathi is an award of dignity. Not having to remove footwear before entering an officer’s chamber boils down to self respect. The list is endless. The point here is that it is the small things in life that count. And VIPs get all the small things and the occasional big thing too. The saddest part is that low rung young inmates, who are first time offenders, are mightily impressed by the perks enjoyed by VIPs and are overawed when they see a warden saluting them. Their eyes open wide in admiration as they see a jailor rush to open a gate for these inmates and fantasise about taking the place of the VIPs, who enjoy such perks in prison.
Here’s a small comparison. I remember that one labourer was arrested by a squad for trying to sell used day bus passes for Rs10 each. He had in his possession eight such passes. He left the prison after six months and during this time he was made to sweep the grounds, pick up used cigarette butts, beedi ends and plastic tea cups and also treated badly because he was poor. But a government official, who indulges in organised looting of natural resources leading to a loss of crores of rupees to the government, gets a cool VIP room, is treated nicely and leaves the prison in one piece.
The amusing part is a government servant, who enjoys perks from the taxes paid by the public, then abuses his position and swindles public money, again has his life made comfortable in prison using public money. Public money is sadly spent on making the lives of the influential comfortable in prison and this list includes rowdies, politicians, wannabe politicians, blackmailers and the well connected. If this doesn’t stink, what does?