Sharmila refuses nose feeding, intensifies stir
NESO meets Sharmila, slams national leaders, media
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, April 26 2011:
The whole nation with people from all walks of life ranging from high profile politicians, actors, actresses to ordinary men, from spiritual leaders to national media houses supported the fast of Anna Hazare against corruption in the national capital forcing the government to accept his demands.
Irom Chanu Sharmila who has been fasting for the last 10 and a half years demanding the removal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) 1958 is still lying in a hospital bed and the nation is unware of her.
Sharmila has been nasally force fed for over a decade as she refused to detract her demand of removing of the Act.
Meanwhile, leaders of the North East Students' Organisation met her today showing solidarity to her non violent agitation against the government to repeal the act.
Speaking in a press meet held at the office of the All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) at DM College Campus, chairman, NESO Dr Shamujjal Bhatacharjee said that they met Sharmila to show solidarity and support to her action.
Sharmila who has long been force fed took off the feeding kit five days ago to intensify her agitation, he said.
She told him that Chief Minister, O Ibobi has been denying meeting her with excuses of busy schedules even after repeated requests, Dr Shamujjal said.
He further said that CM O Ibobi, MPs and CMs of other NE states should support the agitation of Sharmila and pressed the GoI to repeal the act.
When Ana Hazare fasted for some days, the centre accepted his demands, he said.
He said the NESO supported Hazare's agitation against corruption, but the 10 year old fast of Irom Chanu Sharmila against AFSPA 1958 is still under the cloud of favouritism.
Central leaders and even national media houses give little emphasis on Sharmila.
He observed that no one in the world has ever fasted for more than 10 years for a single demand.
The national media should promote her stir to bring an end to her fast and to remove the draconian AFSPA.
He further alleged that not a single national leader has given any positive response to a single issue of the North Eastern states till now.
They look down on the people of the region.
They think India's boundary ends at Kolkata, he alleged.
Dr Shamujjal said that NESO will support Sharmila and her demand and will do their best to repeal the act from the region.
He said students of the whole North Eastern states will organise a candle light vigil in all the state capitals on Monday night.
Alleging the centre for negligence of the welfare of the NE people, NESO general secretary, Gumjum Hyder questioned the logic behind the non implementation of the AFSPA in Naxal and Maoist infested areas and why it is imposed in the NE region and Jammu & Kashmir only.
They should keep in mind that if they do not hear the voice of the people, no one from the region will reach out to them.
Former president, AMSU James Bond Mangang who attended the press meet said that AMSU has always been supporting the stir of Sharmila.
He said, AMSU will meet national leaders in the last week of May and press them to repeal the act from the region.
He queried why the centre sent a Joint Parliamentary team to assess the Act in Jammu & Kashmir but did not do so in Manipur.
The students who met Sharmila today were Dr Shamujjal Bhatacharjee, L Punte, Upendra Dev Barma, Gumjum Hyder, Samuel Jywra, Mamseng Sangma, Irengbam Jamesbond Mangang, Shankar Prasad Rai, Tapan Kumar Gogoi, Hamvert Kharmith and Suresh Thokchom.
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