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Mahatma Gandhi took fasting as a
means to protest when India was under the clutches of British
Rule, But another ardent follower of Gandhi Ji, has resorted to
peaceful fast to protest against Military  atrocities, a struggle
that even the Father of the Nation would not have liked to see
in ‘Independent’ India. This true follower of Ahimsa is social
activist Irom Sharmila – the iron lady of Manipur, who has been
staying without food for nearly six years now, trying out fast
as a means to revoke the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in
Manipur after security forces in Malom in Manipur gunned down 10
innocent bystanders near the Imphal Airport on November 2, 2000.
The
controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act only applies in
Jammu and Kashmir and insurgency-affected North East, giving a
free hand to security forces to search and even arrest a person
without formal warrant. In Northeast, there is a mass sentiment
prevailing that this Act should be revoked, since many a times
it has been seen that Security Forces, especially Army and Assam
Rifles, has used this Act to unleash barbaric and inhuman
atrocities on tribal folks of the region. Human rights groups
have been shouting that this Act has given the security forces
deployed in the region, the license to kill and torture even
rape with impunity.
Six years
ago, Irom Sharmila took on the Government with what many have
called as the longest political struggle of its kind and she
chose Mahatma’s way as a means to protest. But it’s ado, in the
land of Gandhi, though the world is clued in to her, not many
know about her in her own land. Detained at the security ward of
government run JN hospital ward in Imphal, Irom Sharmila has
survived because of being force fed till the time of her
release. Sharmila’s struggle has not been able to melt the ice,
not even after the entire country saw Manipur go violent and
Manipuri Mothers protest naked after a Manipuri lady named
Manorama Devi was allegedly raped and murdered by personnel of
Assam Rifles. She was arrested under AFSP Act. Seeing not much
change in Centre’s mood in last Six years, Sharmila recently
came down to Delhi to get people to understand the problems in
Manipur and Northeast. After offering floral tributes at Gandhi
Samadhi in the Capital, Sharmila continued her fast at Jantar
Mantar. Talking to Newsmen she said, “I think my end is
approaching. I'm here to pay my final homage to the Mahatma,"
Sharmila
hardly has any political affiliation yet she has shown the
nation how much mental strength the people of Northeast have.
Time will say if Sharmila survives to see the repressive Act
repealed, whether she does or not, people of this under
privileged region have started calling her ‘ Lady Mahatma’.
August 2007
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