Rally staged at Delhi; Irom Sharmila freed but continues with fast
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 12 2013: Irom Sharmila Chanu, who has recently been bestowed the title of Eche, while criticising the elected leaders of the State for not pressurizing the Centre to scrap the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), has expressed her desire to have an Omar Abdullah like Chief Minister in Manipur.

"The Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah stands against AFSPA.

He has spoken out boldly against the Act and has asked Central leaders like the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to lift the draconian Act.

But our leaders have no guts like him.

We want to have a CM like Omar Abdullah in our State," Sharmila said on Tuesday afternoon.

"It is understood by all that through money and muscle powers our leaders were elected," Sharmila (40) said minutes after a local Court released her as her one year punishable term under section 309 IPC (attempt to commit suicide), expired today, a regular routine she has been undergoing every year since 2001 .

On the other hand, the Save Democracy, Repeal AFSPA Group and the Manipur Students' Association, Delhi staged a rally from GTB Nagar to Arts Faculty, Delhi University today at about 8 pm to extend solidarity to the struggle of Sharmila.

Irom Sharmila at the security ward

A resident of Kongpal Kongkham Leikai in Imphal East, Sharmila began her fast a couple of days after Assam Rifles personnel mowed down ten civilians including a National child bravery awardee on November 2, 2000 at Malom in Imphal West.

After the Judicial Magistrate, First Class ( JMIC), Imphal East issued the release order around noon, she was escorted by hordes of womenfolk from the security ward of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (Jnims) to a nearby make-shift house close to her residence where she continued her fast.

"The elected leaders, most of whom were businessmen and Government contractors easily bought the voters.

They don't feel the pulse of the common people and hence scrapping of AFSPA is not on their minds," she said while pledging to continue her struggle unless the Army Act is repealed.

She said the rising trend of drug trafficking and the arrest of an army officer and a legislator's son in connection with drug trafficking has exposed the underbelly of the Government.

Showing solidarity with Sharmila's unrelenting campaign, three rights activists from outside the State Faizal Khan, Deepak Joshi and Arbind Murthy � and a large number of womenfolk belonging to Sharmila Kanba Lup (Save Sharmila group) joined her at the make-shift house at Porompat.

Members of the women's group have been fasting in phases since the last five years at the house.

On March 4, Sharmila appeared before the Court of a metropolitan Magistrate at Patiala House Court complex, Delhi in connection with her hunger strike against AFSPA at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on October 5, 2006 .

Till the time of filing this report, Sharmila has not been arrested though the police were keeping a sharp vigil near the demonstration site.

Extending solidarity to struggle of Sharmila, the Save Democracy, Repeal AFSPA Group and the Manipur Students' Association, Delhi staged a rally from GTB Nagar to Arts Faculty, Delhi University today at about 8 pm.

During the rally, the rallyists raised slogans, such as 'Down, down AFSPA', 'State terrorism, down, down', 'We support Eche Sharmila', 'Long live Eche Sharmila', 'Long live people's struggle', 'Down, down Indian Government', 'Repeal AFSPA' .

A candle light vigil was also held at the campus of JNU today evening.