Imphal, August 05: Protesting the Government's indifferent attitude towards the ongoing demand of the people to revoke the Armed Forces Special Powers Act 1958 from Manipur, hunger striker IromChanu Sharmila voluntary removed the nasal feeding pipe today.

The 33 year old Sharmila expressing strong desire to meet Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh to discuss the burning issue removed the feeding pipe at about 10 am.

She also vowed that nasal feeding would resume only after the Chief Minister meets her and gives an explicit stance on revocation of the Act.

Taking note of the unprecedented action of Sharmila that would only deteriorate her health, Sajiwa Jail authorities immediately intimated the hunger striker's demand to IG Prisons and reply from the CM's office is still awaited, said reliable sources.

It may be recalled that Sharmila has been fasting since personnel of Assam Rifles opened indiscriminate retaliatory firing that killed 10 persons at Malom on November 2, 2000.Hailing from Kongpal Kongkham Leikai, Sharmila has been demanding lifting of AFSPA from Manipur.

Interacting with reporters at the Security Ward of JN Hospital today, Sharmila desired that AFSPA be scrapped immediately without waiting for the Centre's nod as the State is undergoing a critical juncture.

When informed that the State Govt is mulling over the possibility of partially lifting the Disturbed Area status a visibly weak Sharmila expressed strong opposition to the proposal insisting there is no reason why the draconian Act should continue when there is frequent case of rampant abuse of human rights by security force personnel.

The State Government should initiate the steps to totally lift the Disturbed Area Act while questioning the rationale behind setting the deadline of August 15 when the people of Manipur have had to endure severe form of atrocities at the hands of the security personnel for decades.

If the Chief Minister really feels the pulse and understands the sentiment of the public, he should revoke the said Act before the prevailing tense situation becomes even more aggravated, Sharmila fumed while condemning rampant clamping of curfew and thrashing of peaceful demonstrators.

Terming the nude protest of State women folk as the ultimate step to denounce brutal killing of Manorama, Sharmila asserted that such 'bold action' has surely taught a fitting lesson to the central forces.

She also lamented rejection of her previous proposal to meet the Chief Minister who cited busy schedule in tackling the current problem for his inability.

However, the Chief Minister collected some photographs of her so as to apprise leaders on the agitation to lift AFSPA.

Months later, the BJP MLA also explained that during that time neither Indian Army personnel were deployed nor was counter-insurgency operations launched.

On his personal stance to imposition of AFSPA, Dorendra said when he was the Congress President in 1987 demand was raised to revoke the Act and produced a copy of the party mouthpiece "Panthungpham" to the newspersons to substantiate the claim.

Joining the address, Manipur Pradesh BJP President Th Chaoba strongly contended that the SPF Government should not try to shift blame on the BJP for the present crisis as the party did not even exists when AFSPA was first brought to Manipur in 1961.The BJP was formed only in 1980 with the Manipur unit constituted on September 25 of the same year; he said and added that BJP never, assumed power in Manipur.

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