Irom Sharmila being subjected to severest punishment : Pannalal
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 13 2011: Rastriya Seva Dal (RSD) leader Pannalal Surana has asserted that the Government of Manipur has been subjecting Irom Sharmila to the severest form of punishment by keeping her in solitary confinement for years.

Pannalal Surana arrived here to meet Sharmila and extend his support to her unsurpassed 11 year old crusade against the draconian AFSPA.

Speaking to media persons this evening, Pannalal Surana said that the State Government, by denying Sharmila to meet anybody, has been defying the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

It is also against several UN covenants on international human rights, he asserted.

Noting that people of North Eastern region have been longing for a peaceful and secure environment, the RSD leader AFSPA should be repealed along with withdrawal of army from the region as insurgency movements have subsided considerably.

He also demanded a debate in Parliament on the Justice Jeevan Reddy Commission report.

The Gandhian also appealed to all the people of the country who value democratic principles to urge the Chief Minister of Manipur to let Sharmila meet all her visitors.

Saying that they were surprised on seeing the protracted highway blockades which have been denying essential goods including petroleum products to the people of the State, Pannalal conveyed that he was amazed all the more on observing the State Government keeping the hands of its police force tied instead sending them to arrest and prosecute the highway blockaders.

He said that the RSD was established in 1941 with the objective of instilling sense of secular nationalism and democratic secularism among the youth of the country.

RSD would organised Samata Sammelan (Equality Conference) in the first week of November next year.

Around 5000 students reading between Class VII and Class X are expected to attend the conference, he said.

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