Rights activists refused meeting Sharmila
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May 11 2011:
Members of All Assam Shramik Krishak Kalyan Parishad (AASKKP), who came all the way to meet Irom Sharmila in Imphal, today called for a common platform of the people of the Northeast region to fight against injustice.
A five member team of the AASKKP arrived here with the sole purpose of calling on Sharmila but authority of the Manipur government refused to permit them.
Before leaving Imphal this afternoon, they met with reporters here.
Suren Narzany, secretary of Kamarup district unit of AASKKP, flayed the Centre for its "step motherly" treatment towards the people of the region.
The Centre has a different outlook towards the people of region.
When Anna Hazare fast for only three days, they fulfilled his demand while they have no time to listen to the demand of Sharmila who has been on fast for the last 11 years seeking repeal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act 1952, he alleged.
He said that Sharmila's struggle for repeal of the Act is not for her personal gain but for the people of the region who has been deprived of justice for a long time.
Everybody supports her struggle but the Centre prefers to remain silent.
This shows the different view of "mainland" India towards the people of the region.
He also expressed unhappiness that no MP from the region including Prime Minister Dr Manmohon Singh has raised the issue in the houses of Parliament.
The PM is in Parliament as a representative of the people of Assam but as PM, he has forgotten his political origin.
He is a betrayer and should resign as Prime Minister as he is not able to look the Northeast people on par with people of other regions.
He also appealed to insurgent groups of the region struggling for sovereignty to unite themselves and hold peace talks with the Centre asserting that the time has now come to fight with the pen not with arms.
Apart from Suren Narzany, the team members who left Imphal for Guwahati this evening included Pradip Kalita, staff chief secretary of the AASKKP, Surendra Nath Baishya, state advisor, Ganga Boro, advisor of women cell of AASKKP and Karabi Baruah, secretary of women wing of the parishad.
Before leaving Imphal, they assured that they would come again to meet Sharmila on June 1 next saying that they had applied seeking permission from the authority of the Manipur government.