During the period of her hunger strike protest, which is thought to be the world’s longest, Irom was confined to a hospital where she was force-fed through a nasal tube.
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Sharmila wants to become the chief minister of Manipur to improve its situation.
Sharmila claimed that she does not like to be an icon, but a real embodiment of revolution. “The court will now issue the release order to the jail authorities”, Sharmila’s counsel L Rebeda said.
Describing herself as a “prisoner of conscience”, Irom Sharmila, 44, fasted in protest against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), a law allowing security forces to exert excessive control throughout Manipur, a state in northeastern India.
She told newspersons outside the court that she will contest the 2017 assembly elections from Khurai Assembly constituency as an independent. Ill work hard as a peoples representative to repeal AFSPA if I come out victorious.. However, it was not to support her as these members have been doing all these years.
Earlier in a brief remark to the media while waiting for her release order, she said, “I am being seen as a odd woman”.
When asked about death threats, Sharmila said, “Let them kill me the way people killed Mahatma Gandhi with the accusation of being an anti-Hindu”.
Bombarded with questions about her plans, Irom had, haltingly but defiantly said: “This is my life”.
On Tuesday, she told a court of her intention to end the strike, so a judge released her on a bail of 10,000 Indian rupees ($149).
“I have to change my strategy”.
“Without this draconian law you can connect with us, you can govern us with fatherly affection, without discrimination”. She broke her fast by tasting honey and then wept for several moments.
“I will use everything I have for the positive change of the society”.
The paramilitary group was immune to any repercussions from the slaughter under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which gives the Indian military the power to kill anyone that is suspected of being a rebel in certain “disturbed” areas of the country.
The Amnesty International said Sharmila’s decision to end fast was an opportunity for the Indian government to scrap the contentious law.
She is due to appear in court on Aug 23. Her mother Sakhi has refused to meet her.
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Sharmila has been in judicial custody in Manipur over all these years and she was being held at the security ward of the Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital in Imphal, where she was force-fed liquid diet.
