Chambal issues one more call for peace

It was over five decades back in 1972 that hundreds of dacoits, or baagis as they are called locally, voluntarily surrendered in Chambal valley of central India as part of a wider and inspirational social initiative for significant, beneficial, and durable social change achieved by non-violence. This, as well as some preceding and follow-up surrenders, adding up to surrenders of over 600 dacoits, were inspired by Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy of reform or even revolutionary changes in so ciety base d on non-violence.

While the best known surrenders of dacoits and giving up of firearms took place in front of portraits of Mahatma Gandhi and before respected followers of Mahatma Gandhi such as Vinoba Bhave and Jaya Prakash Narayan, hundreds of Sarvodaya (social movement inspired by Mahatma Gandhi) grassroots activists had worked tirelessly in remote villages and ravines for years, often placing their lives in danger, to turn the dream of hundreds of peaceful baagi surrenders into a reality that was very widely seen at that time not just in India but even globally as an inspiring example of the tremendous potential of non-violence for creating a safer and peaceful world. An organization which played a very important role in the surrenders and the equally important follow-up work is Mahatma Gandhi Seva Ashram, located in Jaura town of Morena district (Madhya Pradesh).

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This institution was established by Dr. S.V. Subba Rao, known widely as Bhai Ji (Respected Brother), an eminent Sarvodaya activist best known for his work relating to social mobilization of youth for unity, harmony, and service of people as well as for his contributions to the surrender and rehabilitation of baagis and the related social reconciliation process. He and his close associates like PV Rajagopal and Rann Singh Arya were involved with continuity in various aspects of social reconciliation and development initiatives following the surrenders.

It was in this ashram that recently (on April 13 and 14) the 54th anniversary of the biggest dacoit surrenders was observed in the form of several events including honouring some of those surrendered dacoits (now in their old age) who have lived up to their commitment to non-violence. An important aspect of this initiative was to give a new call for peace and non-violence from the same Chambal valley which had earlier witnessed such an inspiring success of non-violence. As PV Rajagopal stated, the essential messages of Mahatma Gandhi have become increasingly relevant in the present-day world greatly disturbed by highly destructive and dangerous wars.

The message of peace will be more effective if it comes from those places and people where something great has been achieved in terms of realizing the great potential of nonviolent reform and change. Many villages of Chambal Valley represent such a region where social activists, former baagis, ordinary villagers and government representatives worked together to bring about durable change in which hundreds of villages were freed from the terror of dacoit gangs and what is more, this was followed by several important initiatives of development and justice, social harmony, and reconciliation.

At the same time, in more recent years as a part of wider trends, new mafia type forces have emerged here as elsewhere (mining mafia, liquor mafia etc.) which are harming society and the environment in serious ways. Hence apart from strengthening previous efforts, new initiatives of using non-violence-based struggles to overcome recent problems are also needed. In addition, important aspects of violence based on gender, caste and faith in daily life were identified and emphasized by Anuradha Behan.

Anuradha is a former Director General of Police who is now devoting a lot of her time to strengthening peace processes and initiatives in the Chambal region. Her message of reducing violence in daily life was liked so much that some people in the audience wanted to hear her appeal repeatedly. Thus, identifying various existing and emerging aspects of injustice and violence, the earlier success of Chambal region can be taken further to strengthen this region as a base of work and experiments related to strengthening non-violent struggles, movements, and initiatives for achieving justice-based peace in society and in human relationships at various levels.

From such a position of peace-based strength, these villages can then give a wider call for peace and non-violence which will be received widely as a hope-giving call for a world that is increasingly wounded and threatened by various forms of violence, including highly destructive wars and arms race. Villages of Chambal can become important centres of wider efforts for justice-based peace. Speakers at the recent Chambal gathering in Jaura also paid homage to the two most inspiring activists of the various initiatives here who have passed away in recent times – Dr. Subba Rao Bhai Ji and Rann Singh Arya. It was emphasized that strengthening and expanding their work and aims would be the best homage to them.

Nearly 15 surrendered dacoits (see photograph) who came to join this gathering from distant villages were firm in stating that no matter what the problems they faced during surrender, the jail sentence and the subsequent rehabilitation effort, they never thought of giving up the path of non-violence that they had chosen as a part of highly inspirational peace initiatives. Perhaps the most emotional moment of the gathering came when the daughter of a surrendered baagi came on the stage to say that her family will forever be grateful to this great peace initiative for giving the family and the children a chance to return to the mainstream and to lead a life of peace with their head held high.

(The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for children, Planet in Peril and A Day in 2071.)