Mail News Service and agencies
IMPHAL, March 12: Manipur’s ‘Iron Lady’ Irom Chanu Sharmila, who has been on fast over 12 years demanding repeal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) from the state, was released from judicial custody at around 4 pm on Tuesday.
The state Government had time and again sent the social activist to judicial custody charging her with attempting to commit suicide under IPC 309. However, Irom Sharmila is now continuing her fast at Sharmil Kanba Lup (Save Sharmila) office, Porompat in Imphal East district.
She was freed after being produced before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal East District, Alek around noon. However, the anti-AFSPA crusader was brought again to the Security Ward of Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) where she had been lodged with nose-feeding as the police was to prepare the proper document for her release. She was later formally freed at 4 pm from the Security Ward.
Hundreds of her supporters, including members of Sharmila Kanba Lup (SAKAL) who were waiting for her outside the hospital led her to the SAKAL office near the hospital. National Alliance for People’s Movement coordinator, Faisal Khan from Delhi and members of the organization Arvind from Uttar Pradesh and Deepak Joshi from Rajasthan were also among the crowd of supporters.
Calling herself a follower of Gandhi and a mere pursuer of non-violent movement, Sharmila asserted she has no bias on security forces and underground members and said she only wants peace and tranquility in Manipur. Sharmila said even if the belief of incarnation ever comes true, she wished not to be born here in Manipur. The human rights activist further said the police will be after her in the next two-three days to be rearrested her and expressed aggravation against the Manipur Government for arresting her over and over again.
Accusing Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh of trying to appease her by lifting AFSPA from seven assembly segments of Imphal, she further alleged that all the politicians in the state have ignored the idea of bringing development in the land.
She also alleged that most of the ethnic communities in Manipur have demanded separate homelands because the Government fails to take up development projects in the hill. Describing that the crimes against women are committed by uncivilized people, Sharmila advocated for a society where both the sexes share equal responsibility. “I may be re-arrested but it will not deter me from continuing with the hunger strike,” Sharmila said after she was released from jail.
Doctors at the hospital stopped her from nasal feeding around 1.30 pm before the jail authority released her after completing the formality for her release, around 3.30 pm. Members of the Sharmila Kanba Lup escorted her from the hospital to the venue of the one-day fast being staged by jointly by NAPM and SKL at Soibam Leikai near Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Science (JNIMS) hospital. A group of women supporters would be keeping vigil throughout the night and remain with her throughout her fasting period. A police team, including female personnel, has been detailed near the strike venue to ensure her safety.
After joining the fast, Sharmila told reporters, “I am not trying to commit suicide. I don’t want to die. But I am ready to die for the cause.” Sharmila began her hunger strike in November 2000 demanding scrapping of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. Her strike was triggered by the incident of killing of 10 civilians by Assam Rifles troops in retaliation to a militant attack on November 2, 2000 at Malom in Imphal West. The court of district and sessions judge Manipur East, is investigating the Malom firing case.
Leaders of the NAPM expressed their wish to remain continue their work against AFSPA and assured their full support to Sharmila. Faisal Khan of NAPM reminded that they had launched nationwide campaign from Srinagar Kashmir to Imphal Manipur against AFSPA while expressing concern over the deteriorating health condition of Sharmila “The condition of Sharmila is not well and lambasted government for ignoring such kind of peace movements which lasting Gandhian legacy in India.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/sharmila-released-from-judicial-custudy/
