Fashion designer Agnimitra Paul who recently joined BJP wrote to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee seeking an explanation as to why she has been asked to stop helping inmates at Alipore Women's Correctional Home.
"On May 30, 2018, I was appointed at Alipore Correctional Home to impart training to female inmates of Alipore Women's Correctional Home on manufacturing garments of different styles and fashions using the art of fashion designing. This was a non-commercial work purely proposed to develop skill and expertise of female inmates in the trade of fashion designing and I wasn't being funded by any person or any corporate house," she said.
"Unfortunately, very recently I have been asked to stop this welfare activity with immediate effect. Considering the condition and responsibility of the inmates it would be extremely unfair for me to leave them halfway. I believe this will not only affect their future but will also restrain us from contributing to the rehabilitation process," she added.
Requesting the Chief Minister for an explanation, Paul said, "My humble request to you is please provide me a kind guideline explaining why my project got dismissed and if I or my brand had any shortcomings from our end. This will be of immense help for our future."
In the letter, Paul said that she was teaching the inmates to stitch.
"It was a small gesture in my own little way to empower them. I worked with five women (whom I don't want to name on social media) during this period and started finding immediate results on the same. The process of rehabilitation and reformation of inmates were highly influenced by the activity and they also became a matter of encouragement for so many inmates around," said Paul.
( With inputs from ANI )