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Kolkata, 26 October (Hindustan Reporter). Maoist leader Arnab Dam, lodged in Burdwan District Jail, has been given permission to do PhD, but due to lack of proper study material and nutritious food, he is not able to pursue his studies properly. Human rights organization Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) has made this allegation.
According to APDR, Arnab and his two other political prisoners, Dhritiranjan Mahato and Chunaram Baske, are not getting proper food. APDR says that these prisoners are not given eggs in their diet and there is a lack of protein-rich food.
On Saturday, three representatives of APDR Jayashree Pal, Koyal Ganguly and Devashish Nandi visited Burdwan Central District Jail. Jayshree Pal said that the prisoners are not getting parole and their food is lacking in nutrients. He said that these people are given pulses instead of eggs, which is not adequate from nutritional point of view. He also said that Arnab Dam, who is pursuing his PhD, is not getting the books required for studies as the jail does not have a proper library.
Arnab Dam, the main accused in the attack on EFR camp in Shilda, West Medinipur, has passed graduation, post graduation and 'SET' examinations while in jail. He has got the opportunity of PhD in Burdwan University for research in History. He has been studying at Burdwan University since he was transferred to jail in July. His admission process was completed due to the efforts of Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh. But APDR alleges that the jail lacks the necessary facilities for their studies.
APDR said in its report that the number of prisoners in the jail is high and there is lack of space, due to which they have to live in very cramped conditions. Due to this, the risk of skin diseases has also increased there.
The organization said, “The standard of food is also bad, pulses are given every day instead of eggs. There is a shortage of proteins and carbohydrates and there is no proper treatment arrangement if any prisoner falls ill at night.”
Jail Superintendent Prithvi Singha refused to comment in this regard, but an officer, on condition of anonymity, said, “These three cannot be called political prisoners because all three have been convicted in the Shilda case.” He termed APDR's allegations regarding the quality of food as baseless.
APDR says that the state government is active in bringing Maoists into the mainstream, but due to lack of proper facilities for these people in jail, their education and health is being affected.