“We don’t just catch fish in rivers and ponds; we also know how to make and break governments,” he said, reiterating his demand for a CBI inquiry into the murders of Phoolan Devi and the late Jamuna Nishad.
On her 23rd death anniversary, Nishad Party chief and Uttar Pradesh Fishery Minister Sanjay Nishad wrote to the PM demanding return of the properties of the former Lok Sabha MP.
Political parties in the state are keen to revive the legacy of Phoolan Devi and win over the Nishad community to which she belonged.
The court has to give its verdict on the role of the four surviving accused Posha, Bhikha, Vishwanath and Shyambabu. While Posha is still in jail, the rest are out on bail.
Phoolan Devi, the main accused, was killed in 2001 in Delhi and 14 other accused persons have died during the period of trial.
The Behmai massacre that shook the country took place on February 14, 1981 when the then bandit queen Phoolan Devi gunned down 20 Thakurs of the Behmai village in Kanpur Dehat.
Phoolan Devi's life has inspired numerous cinematic adaptions including Shekar Kapur's critically acclaimed film, Bandit Queen, and the recent Abhishek Chaubey film, Sonchiriya.
Shekhar Kapur, says he became a filmmaker because he couldn't stop imagining new stories everyday
