Sharmila, 43, has not eaten for years as a protest against an immunity law covering Indian military in the country’s conflict zones such as her home state, the northeastern state of Manipur, where a separatist rebellion has raged for almost four decades. Ironically this same woman who was idolised by her society is now abandoned and alone. Tough to say whether she can continue to be a news maker as she was while she was on her fast, and this is where wise counselling is needed for her to keep her eyes on the reality.
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“They (people) wanted me as a symbol of resistance”.
Sharmila, one of India’s most prominent political activists, ended her 16-year hunger strike by licking honey from her hand and declaring, “I will never forget this moment”.
The Manipur office of the Indian Red Cross Society on Wednesday opened its doors to activist Irom Sharmila, who has no place to go after being granted bail in a case of attempt to suicide.
At the start, she vowed not to eat until the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which grants the military immunity from judicial scrutiny in disturbed areas. Some staunchly opposed her stance, to the extent of refusing to allow her to stay in some places in Imphal. Later, the police took her to the city police station for her safety. The “Save Sharmila Group” and others have distanced themselves from her. She has a security threat and can not be allowed to live at unsecured locations. This is where people need to take comfort in the observation of the Supreme Court some time back that the security personnel can not be given a free hand to do as they please. In court, she refused to plead guilty to the charge, and insisted that she should be freed.
She is being administered liquid diet and perhaps would have to stay in the hospital room for some more days for medical back-up support until she is in a situation to take solid food and recover physically, the doctor said. They want me to be a statue without a voice. “Not much”, she remarked. “As of now she is alright but she does not have the feelings like hunger, thirst or taste”.
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“We will remove Sharmila’s name from all our posters (from) all our campaigns”. Addressing the current prime minister directly, Sharmila said: “I want to tell Narendra Modi: Mr Prime Minister, you may indulge in your violence”. Sharmila said that she will move out either on Thursday or Wednesday evening itself. A point which was there for all to see when numerous media persons from across the world and the country descended on Imphal on August 9 to record her statements and witness her breaking the fast. “If she joins politics, opposition will come”. A hospital source said she often breaks down while talking to visitors.
