Gandhiji said, ‘Hate the sin, not the sinner.’ It is mostly the violent act that puts one behind bars but repentance can dilute it and it seems true for the 77 inmates of Nasik Central Jail who appeared for the Gandhi Peace on Gandhi Autobiography yesterday. Among them about 36 inmates are Graduates. 13 lady inmates have also appeared for the exam. Not only prisoners but 2 jail officials also took the pride in appearing for the Gandhi exam to strengthen the sense of responsibility for reforming jail inmates through Gandhi’s philosophy of truth, non-violence & love.
The Gandhi Peace examination conducted for prisoners by Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal under the valuable supervision of Jail Superintendent J. S. Naik saheb and active support of Khokle guruji.
Gandhi autobiography were distributed free of cost to jail inmates and to introduced them with Gandhian principles, a lecture of once hardcore criminal Laxman Gole, who confessed his crime before the judge after reading Gandhi autobiography and working with Sarvodaya Mandal after releasing from Nasik Central jail, was organized before the exam. Exam paper was of 80 marks of 80 objective questions.
Bombay Sarvodaya Mandal is organising the Gandhi Peace Examination since last ten years in various jails of Maharashtra. The result has been inspiring for the Mandal as well as the inmates and officials of various jails. The aim of the examination is to bring about a change in the life of inmates and to inculcate qualities of Satya and Ahimsa amongst them. Many prisoners expressed their feedback that they were not in jail if they get to read Gandhi autobiography earlier.
The preacher of non-violence, Mahatma Gandhi devoted his life for spreading the non-violence and he proved that it is an effective weapon. Years after his departure, his thoughts are seen prevailing in the society and also in the prisons where the inmates are undergoing imprisonment as a result of violent anger that lasts only a fraction of minutes.
On the occasion of Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Sarvodaya Mandal is organizing Gandhi Peace Exam in Taloja and Aurangabad jail this month and about the organized the exam in various jail of Maharashtra through-out the year.