Veerappans wife to revive her outfit

SALEM: Muthulakshmi, the widow of slain forest brigand Veerappan, on Tuesday announced that she would revive her outfit, the Tamilaga  Malaivazh Makkal Nala Iyakkam, and embark on a fresh journey in public life.Muthulakshmi was speaking to journalists after visiting her husband’s burial site at Moolakadu village next to Mettur, following a low key memorial function held to mark his seventh death anniversary. The outfit she founded after the demise of her husband, remained dormant for nearly three years, owing to her detention in the Mysore prison. Through the Iyakkam, Muthulakshmi tried to retain the sympathy of the tribals and the members of Veerappan’s community, who stay near forest areas in Kolathur. Many from this community had deposed before the Sadasiva Commission, which was entrusted with the  probe into the alleged atrocities committed by the Special Task Force (STF) against the villagers, during the joint operations launched to hunt down the forest brigand.Even before Muthulakshmi took up the issue, many NGO’s had taken up the cause of the tribals, when Veerappan was still alive.Following his death, Muthulaksmi launched her movement and soon ventured into politics. In 2006, she contested the Penagaram Assembly seat, but lost.According to Muthulakshmi, following her arrest on November 26, 2008, her public life took a beating, but her support base remained intact. “Many Tamils, members of various outfits, well-wishers and Veerappan’s fans continued to observe his birth and death anniversaries even when I was in jail. This motivated me to revive my outfit,” she said.“Though hundreds used to throng Veerappan’s burial site to pay homage to him on  his death anniversary, this time, I could not arrange an elaborate function owing to some personal reasons,” said Muthulakshi, adding, “But this will surely mark a new chapter in my public life.”Meanwhile, Veerappan’s two daughters, who usually don’t miss the anniversaries, were absent this year.