By Anisha D. Shullai
What is freedom? Many in this country would say it’s the driving force behind the establishment of India; the bold spirit that motivated our forefathers like Gandhi and Nehru to take a stand against oppression, and the unifying beacon that continues to draw foreigners to our exotic land. But “freedom”, an elemental right, holds a multitude of meanings.
For a free person, freedom can mean one thing while for an incarcerated one it can mean something else. And for a writer, well, freedom isn’t just about “the bold spirit,” but it takes on a special meaning. It’s about the capacity to shape ideas, articulate thoughts, and to transform nebulous concepts into powerful narratives that create a web of human connections. It is also his right to voice out to the world a deep, intense, private view of the situation in which he finds in society. It’s a thrilling journey from a blank page to a tapestry of words that narrates a compelling story.
But can you imagine a place where your reading and writing lists were governed by censorship or limited by the lack of access? Such a place would stifle creativity, curb intellectual growth, and suppress the free exchange of ideas, right? Sadly, such a place does exist and it’s called “Prison.” For most of us, this suffocating place isn’t something we’re exposed to, or know much about. But what we do know is that it’s grossly inhumane; and life there can be harsh, traumatizing, and isolating for the people forced to endure it.
Over 127 years after it was established, the Shillong District Jail now looms over Meghalaya’s capital city from which it takes its name. Separated from the outside world by a daunting concrete wall, today the 5.5 acre complex dominates the surrounding area. And as much as the jail — and its troubled history — shapes life in the city, it’s also a place where it can be unsafe to express feelings of joy, anger, sadness, remorse, or regret; one’s ability to communicate with the outside world is immediately curtailed. Yes, this horrible place can be a living hell to many; but there’s also something about it that changes people, and even turn writers out of prisoners.
Living when we do, where we do, as we do, ‘freedom’ leaps to mind as a political concept exclusively — and when we think of freedom for writers, we visualize at once the great mound of burnt, banned and proscribed books our civilization has piled up; a pyre to which even our own country has added and is adding its contribution. The right to be left alone to write what one pleases is not an academic issue to those who once upon a time had been incarcerated. To them, this issue is deeply personal.
In My Defence, a creative non-fiction children’s novel written by one Roy Marbaniang, the writer narrates the real life accounts faced by him amid Meghalaya’s political turmoil in the education and employment sector. This children’s book also explores themes of high-level corruption in the state; but despite the novel’s terrific plot, several publishing houses in the country had rejected its publication mainly because it was partly written while the author was still confined to a cell at the Shillong District Jail.
One of the striking themes that fascinate admirers of Prison literature is how prison experience informs the works of certain authors. The stories of redemption, recidivism, or bravery in the face of utter despair are what intrigue many readers and draws them in. I guess stepping out of one’s everyday reality and into confinement brings a quietness that allows for true reflection and insight — the pillars of good writing. But although select works in prison literature have been placed on a pedestal and are revered for their insight and alluring qualities, most incarcerated art doesn’t make it outside the confines of a prison cell.
So, why are prison rules in India restricting prisoners from expressing political views even when jail security isn’t compromised at all? Unlike Romanian law which shaves 30 days off a convict’s sentence for every book published while in prison, it seems prisoners here in our BJP-ruled “Christian State” aren’t blessed with such correctional benefits. Should we, then, do something to facilitate writings by prisoners in this country? After all, it is precisely their imprisonment and confinement that brings into sharp focus the threat of political oppression, censorship, as well as the ethical or commercial barriers in the publication of these works. And honestly speaking, the scandalous nature of publishing such works only lends to the fascination with and desire to read the literature.
Many lodged at different jails across India propose a “Prisoner Correspondence Network” be launched as they believe such a project would be an important tool for supporting the advocacy of incarcerated people, helping them “break the silence”. But despite its importance — or perhaps because of its evident power to empower people made vulnerable by this system — government support for such projects is limited, pressed by other security and rehabilitative priorities. This is why NGOs and societies like Kripa Foundation and Khasi Authors’ Society should step up for support as such pen programs are critical in the advocacy for freedom of expression.
It’s about time we champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world; and to ensure that prisoners across the state and the country have the freedom to create literature, to convey information and ideas, to express their views, and to access the views, ideas, and literatures of others. It’s also time to leverage the transformative possibilities of writing to raise public consciousness about the societal implications of mass incarceration and support the development of justice-involved literary talent.
In the spirit of India’s 77th Independence Day, let’s ponder and explore the depth of what “freedom” truly means. This event is more than just a day off from work; it’s a profound symbol of the liberty that empowers us as teachers, writers, journalists and sharers of diverse narratives. This celebration of liberty is an opportunity to reflect, grow, and appreciate the freedom we often take for granted. This freedom is also the backbone of our society, and it has a profound impact on various professions, especially those of us who thrive on the freedom to write. Jai Hind!
(The author is a research scholar based in Mysore. She is otherwise a permanent resident of Lumparing, Shillong.)