Hindu prisoners of the Capital’s Tihar jail have joined Muslim inmates in observing roza, the dawn-to-dusk fast customary for the devout in the holy month of Ramzan.
NEW DELHI: Hindu prisoners of the Capital’s Tihar jail have joined Muslim inmates in observing roza, the dawn-to-dusk fast customary for the devout in the holy month of Ramzan.
“For the first time, about 300 Hindu inmates have joined their Muslim companions in observing the fast,” said Sunil Gupta, law officer, Tihar Jail complex. “It indicates that our attempts to promote communal harmony and national integration among the prisoners have met with success.”
Hindus observing roza even join the prayers – with a little help, of course. They are being given lessons in the Quran and pertinent rituals, a source said.
Of the 13,249 inmates in the nine jails of the complex, there are about 3,975 Muslim inmates. About 2,200 inmates are observing the month-long fast.
The jail authorities have relaxed some rules for those observing the fast. “Normally prisoners are not allowed to move out of their cells after the ‘lock-in’ time in the evening till the following day's ‘lock-out’ time,” Gupta said. “But inmates observing the fast have been allowed to move out of their cells between the two periods so that they can collectively pray and have their meals.”
Inmates have also been allowed to take food items brought by visitors and to have it between iftaar and sehri (the time between dawn to dusk when those observing roza can have food).
According to the prison rules, inmates are supposed to consume food brought by visitors in the visiting room. “Since visiting hours fall during the day, those who fast can't eat the food brought by visitors. Hence, we have relaxed the rule for Ramzan,” Gupta said.
Dates, fruits and other food items that are on the Ramzan menu have also been made available at the jail canteen.
Last year, during Navratri, some Muslim prisoners had joined the Hindus in fasting.
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