IMPHAL, AUGUST 14: Days after she ended her epic 16-year-long fast, Manipur’s ‘Iron Lady’ Irom Sharmila today said there is no change in her decision to take a plunge into politics, notwithstanding the opposition to it and hoped to make a “new beginning” in her campaign for the repeal of the contentious AFSPA in the state.
The 44-year-old iconic rights activist, who suddenly finds herself friendless and faces a hostile response from her supporters, also acknowledged that people were generally unhappy with her decision to break her fast on Tuesday and enter politics.
The decision did not go down well with the civil society groups as well as the general public who have kind of abandoned her.
From her family to close friends and even neighbours, Sharmila faced protests by locals and also reported threats by some militant groups and ironically has returned to the same hospital which had been her home for 16 years.
“Yes, I want to become Chief Minister. If I am Chief Minister I can repeal the most unpopular AFSPA,” the feisty activist told PTI emphatically when asked whether there is any change in her mind to take an electoral plunge following strident opposition to her move.
Assembly polls in Manipur are due in 2017.
“If people do not support me, I will go my own way,” she said but at the same time expressed confidence that she will have the backing of the public for her electoral bid.
Sharmila also disagreed with a suggestion that without any support of any political party it will be fruitless to turn to politics.
She has been campaigning doggedly for scrapping the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act clamped in the northeastern state after 10 civilians were killed by security forces in 2000.
“To end fast is not the end of my movement. There will be a new beginning,” Sharmila said.
Sharmila gave up her fast after a local court gave her bail on personal bond in a case of attempt to suicide under which she was arrested.
“People wanted me to continue the fast but I decided to end fast. People may not be happy... It is up to them. Change of my mind (to end the fast) was due to lack of people’s support to my movement,” she said.
Sharmila said she will go wherever she wishes if people continue to be hostile to her but did not elaborate.
“I may go to a place and I will... As l desire,” an unfazed Sharmila said.
She also said people were having high expectations from her in continuing with her fast but added it is their problem if they did not approve of her decision to end the fast.
Sharmila replied in the negative when asked if she deviated from her campaign because of love and whether it was true if she was planning to get married.
There is widespread speculation that she may tie the nuptial knot.
Sharmila also said she was not bothered about any threat to her life following her decision to end fast and contest the elections.
Another Manipur woman launches fast against AFSPA
IMPHAL, August 14: Four days after human rights crusader Irom Chanu Sharmila ended her epic hunger strike, a Manipuri woman activist fighting crimes against women has come out and launched an indefinite fast demanding repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) at Canchipur near Imphal on Saturday.
Robita, who is the Secretary of Organisation for Indian Women Against Crime and Editor of a monthly journal-Women and Crimes, soon after she launched her stir at Canchipur near Imphal on Saturday, said she started the strike in pursuance of the demand for repeal of AFSPA. She is also requesting others to join the movement against the Act so that the people will ‘understand our demands.’
But after about an hour, she along with some supporters left the area following the arrival of police personnel saying that she will be visiting Sharmila, Gobindajee temple, upi Lal memocial complex and Kangla fort, all in Imphal to seek blessing.
Since then Robita’s whereabouts was not known till this mother of two children and resident of Kongba in Imphal East district reached Ukhrul, a hill town 84 km north east of Imphal on Sunday noon where Robita accompanied by two of her supporters, said, “I came here to request everyone here to join the (anti-AFSPA) campaign.”
She also intended to visit other hill areas of the state where widespread Anti-AFSPA rally were held on Thursday, for the intensification of her campaign.
However Salai Apunba Nupi Lamjing Lup, an Imphal based women’s body, appealed (Robita) not to go ahead with her decision of launching the stir considering her two children and her husband. On August 9, Sharmila popularly known as ‘Iron Lady of Manipur’ ended her 16 years old fast demanding repeal of AFSPA.
