The making of a Sarvodaya Sannyasin

Kishenji’s death is quite painful for me particularly after I learnt that his brother and he had not even come home to meet their mother for last 3 decades. When almost all of us want to lead an easy life, these people are leading such a difficult life, living in jungles on plain food and under extreme psychological pressure, for what they consider to be the best way of removing injustices from the society. I have no doubt that Maoists’ method of violence is ineffective and futile in a democratic nation like ours. Despite all flaws, democratic polity leaves ample scope for positive transformation. But we have to accept that the nation collectively failed many unprivileged people and drove some of the most idealistic persons like Kisenji on a path which led them or us to nowhere. The loss of such people with an extreme empathy for the downtrodden is a tragedy. Maoists should be treated differently from other extremists and whole-hearted efforts should be made by all stakeholders to bring them into the national mainstream through general amnesty and rehabilitation like it was done in our neighbouring country Nepal. If Maoists can be made to change their path to peaceful means, they can bring great reforms in our society through their dedication and sacrifices.