Imphal: Irom Sharmila, who has been on an
indefinite fast for the past 11 years demanding withdrawal of
the controversial AFSPA from Manipur on Wednesday spent her 40th
birthday quietly inside the hospital where she is forced fed
through the nose.
Sharmila's elder brother Irom Singhajit said there
were no celebrations nor any visitors inside the high-security
ward of the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences,
where the 'Iron Lady' is kept.
"She likes her birthday to be very quiet and is just
like any other day for her. The government allows visitors
rarely and today there was none," he told PTI.
"To mark the occasion, we had candle-light programmes
all over the state and press for repeal of the Armed Forces
(Special Powers) Act," Singhajit said.
Her supporters, family and members of the 'Save
Sharmila campaign', Just Peace Foundation and women activists
from 'Apunba Lup' (women rights NGO) took part in the
programmes.
It was only yesterday that the civil rights activist
was re-arrested within 24 hours of being released.
She has been arrested, released and re-arrested for
not eating over the last 11 years. Every fortnight she is
taken to the magistrate and as she refuses to break her fast,
the court extends her judicial remand for another 15 days.
PTI
First Published: Wednesday, March 14, 2012, 21:08