Does Sharmila stand spurned ? From fasting to electoral politics
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: December 12 2016 -

Does iconic anti-AFSPA crusader Irom Sharmila stand spurned in her home State today ?

This question is relevant in the context of how people today perceive her, after she gave up her 16 years fast demanding the revocation of the dreaded Armed Forces Special Powers Act and announced that she would be entering the electoral battle.

Spurned ? Maybe by her immediate family members, due to many ‘reasons’ and some who were closely associated with her during her marathonesque fast, but spurned by the people ?

Difficult to answer, but it would do good for all to note that the acceptability or not of an individual cannot always be measured by one’s performance in the electoral ring.

This is a point which should not be forgotten in the dust kicked up by the election fever.

And given the way how election campaigns are carried out, there will be no punches pulled.

This is something which must have registered in her mind and again something which can be expected as the election fever picks up and the campaign trail begins to kick up more and more dust, some of which will be dirty and downright objectionable.

The point however is whether the verbal taunts that may come her way will find takers with the people, who are notorious for having a short memory.

This is what electioneering is all about here and one individual cannot be expected to change this.

Something very different from launching a lonely campaign against an Act, which has been dubbed draconian by many.

This is not a question of studying the poll prospect of Sharmila and the political party she has floated, the People’s Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA), but a frank appraisal of how AFSPA and even human rights have never been the corner stone of any election, so far in Manipur.

No election has ever centred around this Army Act and frankly no political party has made this their focus.

Maybe it is due to the fact that the State Government can do nothing for the question of continuing with the Act or lifting it lies with the Centre.

However, still people can and should be asking the different candidates and the political parties they represent on where they stand on this count.

That this has never happened should give a fair idea of how the Army Act has never been the calling shot in any election so far.

Everyone wants this Act to go, yet this question fails to come up as the rallying point for any political party during election.

Though Sharmila has gone on record and stated that it is her priority to address this question, the bigger question is whether this will cut ice with the people or not.

At the same time it is encouraging to note a number of young people rallying around her in her tryst with electoral politics.