Chambal peacemaker wants to help out

MYSORE, OCT 6: For every dacoit in India, there is a saint waiting in the wings to reform him or her. If the Bandit Queen from the Chambal...

MYSORE, OCT 6: For every dacoit in India, there is a saint waiting in the wings to reform him or her. If the Bandit Queen from the Chambal valley could be accepted back into society and later make a foray into politics, why not Veerappan? The person behind this reasoning is Krishnachandra Sahay from Agra. Sahay has the right to think this way after persuading more than 500 dacoits to give up arms.

Secretary of the Gandhi Peace Foundation, Sahay is camping in Mysore to end the Rajkumar abduction impasse and to work his wonders on the brigand, if possible. He is confident of breaking the 67-day deadlock with a peace deal.

Organiser of the Chambal Valley Dacoits Rehabilitation, Sahay feels he “knows the pulse better” of the protagonists involved and has been here with his wife since October 1.

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He feels that one more month in Bangalore and Mysore would be suffice to glean complete information about Veerappan before entering into the bandit’s lair and directing him to the right path.

Letters have been despatched to Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, seeking permission to enter the forest.

“I have not received any response yet,” says Sahay. “I am making all-out efforts to fix up an appointment with Krishna at Bangalore or in Mysore during his visit to inaugurate the Vijayadashami procession.” Sahay also plans to meet Veerappan’s wife Muthulakshmi and daughter Vidyarani, who is studying in a school at Mettur.

“I will explain to them about the rehabilitation package which could help the brigand lead a peaceful life. I hope ahimsa mantra

of Gandhiji will succeed.”

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Though Veerappan has killed more than a hundred people, including policemen, Sahay feels “ultimately, he is a human being”. Reacting to the political ambitions of Veerappan’s wife, he said “If she wants to contest polls, it is left to her.” As Phoolan Devi has entered politics, “why can’t anybody else?” he asks.

As part of his efforts, Sahay has released a message to AIR, Bangalore and Coimbatore in both Kannada and Tamil requesting Veerappan to surrender and return to his family members, ending with the assurance: “I will help you out in this.”

Sahay says he is confident of Rajkumar’s release before the end of the Dasara festivities. “I hope Veerappan can understand the pressure on the government and also on him,” he added.

Recalling his association with Vinoba Bhave and Jayaprakash Narayan, Sahay said that the kind of peace mission he undertakes has succeeded for years, causing dacoits like Madhar Singh, Kapuri Devi and others surrender their arms and lead a better life.

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Sahay can only hope that his list of reformees will soon read: 501.