Towards Shadinota

‘In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.’- Franklin D. Roosevelt

Project Shadhinota has been a milestone for students of the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences, Kolkata (WBNUJS) in the journey to help those who are deprived of access to justice to attain it. Project Shadhinota, (the word Shadhinota means independence or freedom) has brought together the Legal Aid Society of WBNUJS and the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) in providing legal aid to under-trials as well as those sentenced, through assistance in various forms, whether in assigning legal aid lawyers or researching and trying to find solutions to grievances, or acting as intermediaries between these clients and their lawyers.

After much planning and deliberation, the Project was flagged off on 28^th of August 2010, with an inaugural programme in the Presidency Central Correctional Home in Kolkata, attended by students and faculty of WBNUJS, where the students performed by opening with a prayer-song and ending with a short play depicting the problems of inadequate legal representation and the general lack of attention given to the condition of inmates. The programme opened up a platform of direct interaction between the attending Hon’ble Justice P.C. Ghosh of the Calcutta High Court (also the Chairperson of the West Bengal State Legal Services Authority) and the inmates, enthusiastically taken up by both, which lay the groundwork for the Project and clarified any doubts regarding its status in the legal system.

After a month, the Project is still going strong, contrary to the prejudices of many who felt this would die a short and untimely death, and much to the benefit and hope of the inmates. Volunteers for the project are enthusiastic and many. Besides addressing the legal issues and concerns of the inmates through weekly visits to the Correctional Home, this Project intends to raise awareness and train volunteers through workshops, seminars and similar programmes on the matter which will benefit the students in the long run in terms of practical experience in the field. We hope it continues with the same strength it began and ends a resounding success, paving the way for similar projects in the future.

- Antara Roy,
IVth Year, NUJS

For the Detailed Concept note for this Project visit: http://www.nujs.edu/downloads/shadhinota-concept-note.pdf