Army of gurus headed for Maharashtra jails

Spirituality in prisons were thus far constituted as short-term courses in yoga, meditation and the Art of Living, but state authorities feel that prisoners are ready for something more all-encompassing.

The brainchild of Minister of State for Home, Kripashankar Singh, a devout believer in the power of gurus, these spiritual exercises will commence shortly. ‘‘Sakti se kuch nahi hoga (You can achieve nothing by being strict). We have to think about making them good human beings,’’ Singh told The Indian Express. A pilot run will be initiated at the Yerwada (Pune), Nashik and Thane central prisons. A programme will also be unveiled at the Arthur Road prison in Mumbai, he says.

So Baba Maharaj Satarkar, Asaramji Bapu, Gagangiri Maharaj and Bhaiyyu Maharaj will reschedule their already full itineraries to accommodate spiritual lessons for prisoners. Slides and teachings of Satya Sai Baba will also be made available to them.

Singh says he is also keen on stocking books on spirituality inside the prisons, so that jails can be turned into correctional centres. Modalities are currently being worked out, he adds.

However, Singh is not the only minister touched by the sublime. State Prohibition Propoganda Minister Dashrath Bhande is already using the services of Baba Maharaj Satarkar and other gurus to help the department fight rampant alcoholism in rural areas of the state.