GUWAHATI, June 24 � A book of poems penned by 17 prisoners of Sivasagar Jail was released at a function held at Guwahati Press Club today, with writer Tabiul Hussain in the chair.
The volume published by Pranati Gohain, a social activist of Sivasagar and a woman entrepreneur, was released by senior journalist DN Chakravartty.
Chakravartty, in his speech, said that while world literature had throughout the decades been enriched by writings of the great political and revolutionary prisoners such as Oscar Wilde, Dostoyevsky, Cervantes, Mark Twain, Machiavelli, Sir Walter Raleigh, Ezra Pound, Dr Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, there were also important literary works by prisoners like Herr Hitler.
�Assamese literature has also been enriched by writings from the prison by persons like Md Tayebullah, Tarun Ram Phookun, Gopinath Bardoloi, and several other freedom fighters of the State,� he added.
In modern times also, Chakravartty said, several persons like Hiranya Bhattacharya, Parag Bhattacharya, Ajit Bhuyan, Bikash Sarma, Parag Das and Akhil Gogoi have also made significant contributions to Assamese literature with their experiences in jail.
Chakravartty said that ordinary prisoners of Sivasagar Jail with different educational backgrounds and types of conviction had described their hopes and aspirations and moments of despair within the four walls of the jail in a poignant manner.
�A few of the prisoners describes a prison house as a centre of mental reform and spiritual advancement, while some others were counting the days for the advent of the new moon when they would be free,� he said.
Pranati Gohain, in her speech, said that not all prisoners were devoid of human values and compassion, and that they should be given the space to hone their talents. Retired Deputy Inspector General, Prisons, M Saikia, and Superintendent of Sivasagar Jail, Bidyadhar Saikia, in their speeches, observed that a majority of the prisoners were basically good persons while some of them committed some crimes at moments of greatest provocation.
Tabiul Hussain, in his speech, appreciated the attempt of the publisher in facilitating an outlet for the prisoners to express their mental agony and aspirations.
Earlier, welcoming the guests, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta introduced Pranati Gohain to the audience and lauded the initiative taken by her.
The sale proceeds of the volume will go to the welfare programme of the inmates of Sivasagar Jail.