80 per cent prisoners undergo custodial torture: Ex-governor

Delivering his inaugural address at the 12th National Conference Of All India Lawyers Union (AILU), he claimed that in the criminal investigation system custodial torture is followed as a standard procedure. 

“The investigative agency is keen on finding a culprit and not the culprit. Physical and mental tortures are followed irrespective of all the investigative agencies. Recently, National Law University at New Delhi carried out a survey among 270 death row prisoners and out of them 216 had said that they were subjected to physical tortures. Lawyers fraternity should voice for such prisoners” said Gandhi. 

He also claimed that 70 percentage of prisoners are under-trail prisoners. Their future is not certain and they do not know when will they be released. UPA government had made an Amendment to CrPC that under-trail prisoners who had served certain period in the prison can be released after signing a bond for good conduct but the clause is not implemented properly claimed Gandhi. 

Referring to the recent order of Supreme Court on National Anthem he claimed that Nationalism should not be made obligatory. Though he liked to sing the National Anthem it should be made mandatory, Patriotism is a sentiment and it is inherited by birth. There is no need to question the patriotism of people for the mere fact that they have difference of opinion. 

Non-agreement should not be considered as non-patriotic. He quoted the example of relationship between Gandhiji and Nethaji and Nehru and Nethaji. Though Gandhiji and Nethaji had difference of opinion, Nethaji was the one to call Gandhiji as ‘Father of India’. 

Similarly, when Nehru hoisted the first Independent India flag he had said that it should have been Nethaji who should have hoisted the flag. But today people like Kalburgi were murdered for just expressing their views and claimed that India is passing through the most critical phase. The three-day conference saw many eminent speakers and lawyers from all over India participating.