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Education is blooming at the unlikeliest of places. Schools and colleges are just time pass for most of our cool as cucumber kids. Not even in our wildest dreams do we expect them to be bothered with such trivial pursuits such as studying. Why disturb them when they have better things to do – such as uploading ossum pictures of last night’s party on FB or getting their adrenalin rush from the Playstation that Dad gifted for scraping through last semester.
The unlikeliest pupils are a gaggle of
convicts who are turning studious with a vengeance. The trend started with the
trigger happy former DIG of Gujarat police DG Vanzara, who is now lodged in
jail for masterminding a series of fake encounters. The gent has just completed
a Post Graduate diploma in Value Education & Spirituality. I quite like the logic of earning good karma
while twiddling your thumbs in jail. So
what if the realization came after killing scores of unarmed men & women
for political gains.
Apparently Vanzara is not alone. No, I am not talking of the ghosts of the
dear and departed that haunt him or the jailed criminals dying to teach him a
lesson. There are other jailbirds who
have shown penchant for uplifting
pursuits. Hardcore Islamic
militants have also completed the same course from their cells in Sabarmati
Central Jail in Ahmedabad. So happy are
Universities with this development that they are clamouring to open study
centres in District jail.
Are prisons the new temples of learning?
These prisoners have also turned into
voracious readers and are lapping up Gandhi’s autobiography.
So, if my daughter doesn’t get admission to
any college after she completes school, I know where to send her. Gandhi will help her get rid of her vampire
fixation and she might end up with a PhD if she stays there long enough. Plus she will get to eat free healthy meals.
The land of the beauteous Heena Rabbani
Khar is not too behind either. Abdul
Rasheed, one of the accused in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto has come out
with flying colours in the Secondary School examination, securing 3rd
position while writing the test from Rawalpindi jail. When Ahmed had expressed his willingness to
complete his studies, the jail administration happily provided teachers and
other facilities to him.
This has given me an idea which might just fetch
me a Nobel Prize for peace.
Since most of our MPs and MLAs are Xth
fail, it will be a fantastic idea to send them all to Tihar. Out of sheer boredom they will start singing
bhajans and kirtans every evening and come out with flying colours in their
exams. After a stint in prison they will
emerge deeply spiritual and demand bribes with their heads bent down with
humility. In Parliament, after our
elected representatives have thrown chappals at their opponents, they will
apologize profusely in English. They
will take permission from the speaker of the house, before climbing on tables
to protest. Armed with brand new
ideologies our honourable MPs will insist on joining Anna Hazare’s movement and
fast with him. With their pot bellies
gone after a prolonged stint of fasting they will look dapper and almost
attractive.
It is my humble suggestion that all our iron-willed
netas who think stealing is their birthright and smash their colleague’s
laptops to express their displeasure at being caught should be sent to prison as
well. It will be a soul cleansing experience for them. Ms Simi Garewal should be deputed to sing
lullabies to them in her British accent.
She has ample practice in putting her audience to sleep with her talk
shows. It is possible that Ram Gopal
Varma will express interest in making a movie on our leaders startling
rediscovery of their spiritual selves. I
will be asked to put in a guest appearance but I will turn it down. The movie will be titled From Bihar to Tihar
– journey of a Reformed Rascal...
Our prisons better start getting ready to
welcome their new guests. They will need
extra cells and a cafeteria where our newly turned intellectuals will exchange
ideas over cups of chai. Complimentary
Jholas should be provided to cart heavy books from the library. Jails will be like a finishing school that
will add polish and panache to the much sullied image of our Politicos. Vote
for Dharamveer Prasad, BA pass ...MA First Class... and fresh from Tihar.
Come
to Jail, see the change and who knows, India will
be shining again.
Very very interesting, but I dono hw much they'll study with their jails having TVs and refrigerators, mayb laptops also nowadays..:D
ReplyDeleteHow superb are you!! This is one intellectual post....I truly enjoyed and am learning from you <3 How to be smart in blogging...cheers Purba...You are one hell of a woman [_]@ cheers
ReplyDeleteA free laptop and a chance to visit Paris on parole can be thrown in like that popular computer institute advertised...
ReplyDeleteThis is one hell of a thoughtful post.
ReplyDeleteColleges and school are actually just namesake or degreesake...
this is coming from a college student
i love your blog!
Some of our very high profile netas are already in jail courtesy CWG and 2G..hope when they come out (and they surely will) they wud hav 'rediscovered their spiritual selves'.
ReplyDeleteTrue. They should consider Tihar to be a deemed university of sorts.
ReplyDeleteThat would make the netas work harder to get there.
lol Purba...thats gr8 thinking...Tilhar Jail, the new IIT...and Ms Simi Garewal singing lullabies in British accent...cannot stop laughing when i think of that :)
ReplyDeleteSuperb idea!!Waiting for India to shine again!!
ReplyDeleteHmmmm...so will there be an entrance examination? Right to Education has been implemented.
ReplyDeleteIt will be a funny scene in the parliament. "Respected speaker, may I please be allowed to throw my shoe at the honorable minster of xyz as a mark of disapproval of his policies?"
Great idea. This can be actually put to practice. I bet if internet is cut off to school and college students, then they would not only have ample time to study but would excel just like those jail prisoners. Oh, but then how would I blog? :D
ReplyDeleteYou are a woman of strong opinions. Opinions which I like. Eloquently written. People will just HAVE to stop and read.
ReplyDeleteAna-treek -> I have not had an opportunity to visit jail, I will be unable to comment on the facilities :p
ReplyDeleteChintan...Flattered and humbled :)
Harish...LOL! which computer institute is that?
Red handed...Why don't you write about it?
ReplyDeletePeenuts...Jail was not conducive for Raja's spiritual growth. It turned him into an AK-47!
Pzes...They just have to continue being their normal selves.
SUB...If Tihar can have on-campus interviews, they might as well have entrance exams.
ReplyDeleteGiribala....Shiny and new...like a V&*^%$% ~~~ Hehehe
Prats...LMAO...Lok Sabha live will be so much fun to watch!!!
ajay...Hehe.. And I will end up losing a chunk of my followers.
ReplyDeleteZeba...But I'm always willing to listen to what others have to say :)
Have read of learned prisoners-of-war asking for books and newspapers while in jail.. that the aam-aadmi is also doing it, is very interesting to note!
ReplyDeletebut there are still some people there who wants to escape that opportunity too though still got the privileged of Tihar yatra , Faking Dementia else otherwise they will flunked every exam...nakul kurnehkah mauka nahi milegah jail peh
ReplyDeleteThere might as well be entrance examinations for these prisons (eg: how many can you kill skillfully in 10 hours)and coaching classes to attend... A truly reformed India! :D
ReplyDeleteAmbika...Boredom makes you do unusual things.
ReplyDeleteRK...But he recovered his memory miraculously once he was taken to the hospital.
Enchanta...Considering our colleges are woefully short of seats, why not?
I can't wait for the Nobel Committee to deliberate on your nomination. So here goes the Cybernag Nobel Prize for the most original idea to make India shine again :)
ReplyDeleteSpeaks volumes for the education system if all the jail term and the learning are only going to make our netas polite while hurling shoes and breaking laptops. I agree with Pzes' suggestion of making a Tihar a Deemed University. :D
Thats a good way of earning karma as you said...they will surely turn in to intellectual but would they turn wise ? Morally Wise? I have no clue if they are given any such kind of special education to make them morally wise? thats what prisons needs to do so that when these criminals are out of the jail they have already learnt the art of good living....most of the reason for crime is money if they study they will surely get good jobs and in that way there might be a decrease of crimes ....very intelligent post, thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteA very imaginative and funny post. :)
ReplyDeleteI am not sure, if the title 'Bihar to Tihar'(Journey of a Reformed Rascal) is a bit offensive. I know, you did not meant it that way. But it felt very odd, considering Bihar is not full of 'rascals' and all the 'rascals' are not from Bihar. They come from everywhere.
I am pretty sure, this was not your intention and may be I am over-reacting a bit.
But, what I said, should not take up anything away from the fact that post was very entertaining. :)
Zephyr...I humbly accept your award, will email you my acceptance speech.
ReplyDeleteBhavna...A good job doesn't stop you from demanding bribes. It is your greed that drives you :)
Kunnu...Ahh no.. I didn't mean to insult Bihar, it just happens to rhyme well with Tihar:) Most of our IAS officers are from that state and it's home to Super 30...
I think after reading this post i am rady to say that i blame my father for today, he pused me too hard to study .. had he not 10th pass and politics would have been good I could have been a MINISTER ..
ReplyDeletewhat more can one ask for yes I blame him now ..
Bikram's
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteand considering that almost every office bearer/portfolio holder would be regaling in the lavish jails, any foreign official visiting us would instead of rashtrapati bhawan or 10racecourse be visting The Tihar...the opulent bungalows can be then vacated and instead be used to provide land to the landless in delhi and around. these swanky and plush residences are anyway a 'waste',allocated to the 'wasted'!.
ReplyDeleteYeah..I thought so :)
ReplyDeleteenjoyed the sarcasm :)
ReplyDeletestill smirking at all the names/examples u mentioned
cheers
It will be tough for jails to handle the crowd...how about stuffing them in ships and sending them off to the Bermuda triangle?
ReplyDeletePurba,
ReplyDeleteIt is great effort to reform a person. A number of those who are undergoing jail term are basically not criminals by nature. So it is those towards whom such schemes of education are targeted. As far as our Rhino skinned NETAS are concerned, they will find way to corrupt this noble scheme too. So let them be out and die uneducated. Also a number of high profile persons while in jail make the most of it to gain limelight.
Take care
PS : Caught up with all pending posts and left comments on each starting with Buzz off. No visits?
you have mastered the art of satire. The post covers each and every aspect of breaking news aspects from Guj to MP's and even the brand RGV :D
ReplyDeleteAnd may be someday they might have entrance test for getting into Tihar :P
Weakest LINK
wow..nice findings
ReplyDeleteShining India...........
interesting idea
ReplyDeletegood thinking!
ReplyDelete"ossum". Thanks for the laughs. The title also provided a laugh. For us Pass-out is synonymous with graduating. But, it also means passing out after getting drunk. :)
ReplyDeleteI go to college. I play pool/TT. I come back home. This is college.
ReplyDeleteBikramjeet-> You also need a skin thick enough to take the impact of heavy duty chappals.
ReplyDeleteA grain of sand....I love the wonderful ideas all of you are coming up with. Time to sit in front of Jantar Mantar and force the government to take our demands seriously.
Kunnu :)
Sujatha...If only we could ensure a lifetime stay for all.
Alka....Hahah...good riddance to bad rubbish.
ReplyDeleteJack...We hold our leaders in such high esteem. We always suspect them of ulterior motives.
Rachit -> It should read like the UK/US Visa form....have you committed genocide..if yes please give details....
Jidhu...We can only come up with suggestions.
ReplyDeleteSm....:)
magiceye...Anything for the sake of our country.
Nona...LMAO...Passed out in Tihar..
ReplyDeletePrateek...Dekha! theek bolaa tha na?
This post has actually got me thinking. Is this the reason why the "dharamshalas" of the past were so popular? They weren't really jails but they were strict as hell and were conducive to learning. Though I'm totally for the modern education system, I can't help but wonder if we are on the right direction.
ReplyDeleteHey purba - excellent post... Especially the last three paragraphs :P And yes, you deserve a nobel prize for this idea :) :) Still laughing thinking how it would look like.. :P ROFL..
ReplyDeleteLOL...how do u manage to get such ideas? Definitely some 'tihar connection' :P
ReplyDeleteand guess wht? v at our college hardly have classes...now I think i ll make a constructive use of my free periods and vouch out for ways to end up in JAIL..for d FUTURE shines there!!
sarah
great post! :)
ReplyDeleteAshish...I think you meant Pathshalas. Agree when you say that the strict atmosphere was conducive to academics. In the current scenario quality education is extremely school centered.
ReplyDeleteSunil....Out esteemed netas walking down it's hallowed corridors with finger on their lips.
Sarah...With the introduction of semester system in colleges, things should change for the better.
Shveta...thank you :)
i'm sorry, but the scariest part in that scenario is still Simi Garewal singing in her "KIKI" voice... :)
ReplyDeletebut i agree with some of the earlier comments here too : Shouldn't have studied so hard... could have been a rich politican running to cause a ruckus in Parliament and then back for lunch :)
ReplyDelete//In the current scenario quality education is extremely school centered.//
ReplyDeleteAgree totally.Delightful read Purba!
nice one....
ReplyDeleteeducation is so imp.
Pythoroshan....Simi Jee with her fake cool attitude is such a put off.
ReplyDeleteAnd you pay a paltry 40 bucks for lunch at the cafeteria.
Sharmila...Ahh thanks :)
Chitra...It is if imparted correctly.
Lol..i liked that ..no i loved it...well no that's superb!
ReplyDeleteI could just rumble on the idea of an "IIM TIHAR" passouts, with their educated and innovative ways to trillion dollar scams! :P
Brilliantly written!!! The very thought was mighty hilarious!!! :) I just hope I don't get to see the day when this would happen though...
ReplyDeleteBrilliant Brilliant Idea. I love the way you drape your words.
ReplyDeleteEnvious,
R.R
Good ideas to implement as the authorities could not tolerate Kiran Bedi's reforms in Tihar Jail.
ReplyDeleteindigenou...How to succeed without really trying :)
ReplyDeletecoffeebeanmusings...I'll be happy to see all of them behind bars.
Rohit...Thanks :)
Ayyangar Sir...She is one spunky lady - as Deputy commissioner of Police (traffic)...as IG of Tihar...she always made a difference.
Future looks good in Tihar!!now we should plan to send our younger ones to tihar for better education.. i bet it will be far better than what they get in convents!! .. good one purba.. m really impressed with ur idea, though not a new one :)
ReplyDeleteIt is good know that criminals after completing their jail term are rehabilated by companies through jail placement. But as Vivek mentioned it is also bad to see young freshers are jobless and when jail prisonrs get jobs it is frustrating situation. Very embarrasing situation and difficult to judge.
ReplyDeleteIt is really very bad situation in India that Xth fail MPs and MLAs present in politics. Because of Tihar at least small change can be done in India, it is great idea to send them in Tihar. I would like to see my shining India. I love my India!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post!! For shining our India it will helpful.
ReplyDelete