The decision of the Bhopal Central Jail administration to prohibit open meetings between Muslim prisoners and their families on Eid has sparked political controversy, with both the Congress and BJP weighing in on the issue. Meanwhile, families of the prisoners have expressed their disappointment over the decision.
The jail administration has cited ongoing construction work as the reason for not allowing open meetings this year. Traditionally, prisoners were permitted to meet their families openly on festivals like Rakhi, Eid, and Diwali. However, this time, the administration has restricted such interactions, leading to objections from Congress MLA Arif Masood, who has written a letter to the Director General of Jails opposing the decision.
On the other hand, BJP leader Ajay Singh Yadav has defended the move, citing security concerns. He argued that Bhopal Central Jail houses several high-profile criminals, and the restriction aims to prevent any potential security breaches or escape attempts. Yadav criticized the Congress for politicizing the issue, stating that once the situation in the jail normalizes, special meeting provisions will be reinstated.
Currently, the Bhopal Central Jail accommodates over 3,500 prisoners. Jail Superintendent Rakesh Bhangre confirmed that due to ongoing construction, open meetings on Eid would not be permitted, though regular meeting arrangements would continue as usual.
Congress MLA Arif Masood, in his letter to the Jail DG, emphasized that open meetings on festivals have been a tradition for the past 40-45 years without any security incidents. He argued that such gatherings provide an opportunity for families, regardless of religion, to reunite with their incarcerated relatives on special occasions.
