Rayagada: The district administration and the Odisha government have repeatedly appealed to Maoists to surrender and return to the mainstream of society.
However, a man on his own free will has embarked on a ‘padyatra’… his mission is to get the Red rebels lay down their arms and lead a normal social life.
Meet Gagan Bihari Nayak, a resident of Ragadipada village of Bhoerpur panchayat under Kamakhyaanagar block in Dhenkanal district. By profession he is a driver.
A common man with an uncommon goal, Gagan can now be found walking anywhere in Koraput district. He has already covered Dhenkanal, Cuttack, Khurda, Nayagarh and Kandhamal districts urging Maoists to lay down their arms.
If a brown shirt and blue jeans-clad man is seen wearing a placard reading ‘Maoists brothers and sisters, give up the path of violence and return to the mainstream of society’ around his shoulders, one can be sure he is Gagan. He walks 35km per day and his journey will end in Malkangiri district.
“At the mere mention of Maoists, people shudder in fear. But this man dares to teach them. We salute his courage,” a couple of pedestrians here said Monday.
Gagan is aware of the risks he is facing. But that doesn’t bother him as he feels that even if he can bring one of them back to normal life, his mission will be successful.
“They (Maoists) are no different from us. Just an ideology makes them different. Be it their ideology or misconception, it is the innocent who are paying heavily. While many children become orphans, others have left their parental land and living somewhere else. They also destroy national property which is not fair. I hope I can get a chance to meet some of them in Malkangiri. If that happens, I will persuade them to live a life sans violence,” said Gagan emphatically.
PNN
