CB Bureau Civil rights activist Irom Sharmila Chanu,
who is in her 11th year of fasting against the Armed Forces (Special Powers)
Act, has invited anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare to visit her state
Manipur, calling it ‘the most corruption-affected region in the world.’
Addressed by many as the ‘iron lady of
Manipur’, Sharmila’s invitation reads thus: ‘I would like you to be convinced
of the reality of my situation, that I cannot get the advantage of exercising
my non-violent protest for justice against my concerned authority as a
democratic citizen of a democratic country, unlike your environment. This is
the problem I cannot understand.
‘My humble suggestion is if you feel seriously,
please try to reach the concerned legislators (read authorities) to let me get
free, like yours, to join your amazing crusade to root out corruption – which
is the root of all evils. Or you can come to Manipur, the most
corruption-affected region in the world.’
Various activists including Medha Patkar
have claimed that Sharmila, who by some estimates holds the world record for
being on the longest hunger strike, was not able to join Anna Hazare’s
agitation at the Ramlila ground in New Delhi as she was prevented by
authorities from doing so. Seram Rojesh, coordinator of Imphal-based Just Peace
Foundation, in an interaction with actor Aamir Khan said that Sharmila is not
allowed to meet people freely including her family members. It takes many
months to get a clearance from the government just to meet her.
Asserting that AFSPA has ‘no place in a
democratic society,’ Khan reportedly said that ‘the Armed Forces Special Powers
Act, 1958, should be repealed.’ He further stated: ‘I support Irom Sharmila. I
do not think there is any provision in the Indian Constitution that denies meeting
with people in custody.’
Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani also voiced
concern about Sharmila. ‘She lives a painful life. I should definitely do
something for her. We will do something definitely.’
Civil society organization Jan Sangharsh
Morcha’s national spokesperson Dinker Kapoor said the organization had taken a
decision to support Sharmila and her cause.
A poet, a writer, and an activist, Sharmila
was brought to the jail ward of Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital at the age of 27. In
the year 2000, she had pledged a fast unto death against the imposition of
AFSPA in Manipur. She was arrested for attempting to commit suicide. Such a
charge allows detention in jail for 364 days. For the last 10 years, the
government has annually repeated the formality of arresting her on the same
charge every year, after a formal release for a day or two.
So it is that she has been kept in custody
indefinitely, force-fed a mixture of liquefied carbohydrates and proteins by a
nasal tube about three times a day.