Nation-wide dharna for Irom Sharmila on Apr 6
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 02 2012: In solidarity with Irom Sharmila's 11 year old campaign against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, a Nation-wide dharna would be staged on April 6 at 50 different cities of India.

The Nation-wide dharna which is supported by 80 different organisations based in different States of the country is being initiated by the Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign.

After staging a simultaneous protest demonstration at 50 different places across India, a common memorandum demanding scrapping of AFSPA would be submitted to the Prime Minister.

Speaking to media persons at the office of Sharmila Kanba Lup at Porompat today, Faisal Khan of the Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign said that the simultaneous dharna would be staged in protest against the Government of India's deliberate act of ignoring Sharmila's crusade as well as to show solidarity to the Iron Lady and her cause.

The country-wide demonstration would be able to inform more people about Sharmila's struggle and win greater support from across the country.

Already several campaigns have been undertaken in solidarity to Sharmila's campaign.

A cross-country rally was undertaken from Srinagar to Imphal between October 16 and 27 last year.

Faisal Khan asserted that AFSPA 1958 must be scrapped without fail.

This military Act challenges the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of India.

The campaign to repeal and save Sharmila's life is no longer confined to the Iron Lady or the Sharmila Kanba Lup.

The campaign has now reached every nook and cranny of the world.

More and more citizens are now aware of AFSPA and they have started opposing the Act.

Ahead of the country-wide demonstration, a series of meetings would be held with women Parliamentarians of all political parties at Delhi starting from March 14, and they would be apprised about AFSPA as well as Sharmila's struggle.

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