The woman whose lone fight against the establishment all these long years has only the state machinery to keep her safe from the public whose cause she championed all this while.
Irom Sharmila, the woman who was on a hunger strike for 16 years, leads a quiet life, and recently became a mother of twin girls.
She also demanded that Chief Minister N Biren Singh admit his failure and apologise to the people of Manipur.
A court in Imphal has ordered the release of social activist Irom Sharmila Chanu, who has been on a fast for more than 12 years to demand the repeal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Manipur.First Class Judicial Magistrate, Imphal East, on Tuesday ordered the release of Irom Sharmila, who was arrested on charges of attempt to commit suicide.
Sharmila filed her nomination on behalf of People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance.
A mother of two girls, Arambam Robita Leima said she would launch her fast-unto-death against AFSPA.
A day after AFSPA was extended in most parts of Manipur, rights activist Irom Sharmila said the "oppressive law" was not a solution to the conflict in the state.
On the occasion of her breaking the world's longest hunger strike, Rediff.com reproduces this 2011 feature on the activist and her life.
Activist Irom Sharmila Chanu, who has been on fast for more than 12 years demanding repeal of the 'draconian' Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Manipur, was re-arrested by state police, officials said on Thursday.
I am just following Gandhiji's principle of non-violence to achieve a goal, says Irom Sharmila, who was in Delhi to appear before a court that framed charges against her for attempt to commit suicide. Priyanka reports
Irom Sharmila, who has been on fast close to 11 years to demand the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act(AFSPA) in Manipur, feels Anna Hazare's campaign against corruption is "somewhat artificial."
Deepti Priya Mehrotra, who documented Irom Sharmila's struggle for peace in Manipur in the book Burning Bright, puts the icon's electoral loss in perspective.
'Iron Lady of Manipur' Irom Sharmila, who has been on a fast for the past eight years to demand the withdrawal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act from Manipur, has been re-arrested, police said on Tuesday. Sharmila, who was released on March 7 by a local court, was re-arrested on Monday on charges of attempted suicide, after she went on hunger-strike again, they said.Sharmila had begun her fast unto death in 2001.
A Delhi court on Monday framed charges against Irom Sharmila Chanu, who has been on fast for about 12 years demanding repeal of controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act, for allegedly attempting to commit suicide during her 'fast until death' in the national capital in 2006.
Irom Sharmila, Manipur's 'Iron Lady', on Monday completed 12 years of indefinite fast demanding repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare has been urged to support the demand for repeal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 by Manipuri social activist Irom Sharmila, who has been on an indefinite fast on the issue for nearly 11 years now.
Irom Sharmila, has been fasting for 9 years against a controversial law.
'She feels that undertaking the fast is what she is meant to do in life. She believes deeply that that's her purpose, and that's what God wants her to do,' says Deepti Priya Mehrotra, the author of Burning Bright: Irom Sharmila and the Struggle for Peace in Manipur.
Irom Sharmila, has been fasting for 9 years against a controversial law.
The 44-year-old iconic rights activist turned emotional as she licked honey from her palm to end the fast.
'She feels that undertaking the fast is what she is meant to do in life. She believes deeply that that's her purpose, and that's what God wants her to do,' says Deepti Priya Mehrotra, the author of Burning Bright: Irom Sharmila and the Struggle for Peace in Manipur.
Sharmila will contest from Thoubal seat, convenor of her party People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance Erendro Leichonbam, said.
On November 3, 2011, when her fast against the Armed Forces Special Protection Act in force in Manipur completed 11 years, Irom Sharmila, the legendary crusader for human rights in that north-eastern state, penned a heartfelt appeal to her people, which was handed over to Rediff.com on November 30 as she was being produced before the chief judicial magistrate in Imphal. Please read it!
It was a simple function and the families of the bride and groom were absent.
After the bond was furnished it was accepted by the court and a release order was issued. She has now been asked to appear before the court on August 23.
The name of her party "People's Resurgence and Justice Alliance" was announced at the Johnstone Higher Secondary School in Imphal.
During the hearing, the activist had said she loved her life and was using her fast as a weapon to achieve her goal of repealing the AFSPA as it would have 'more impact' and added that this was 'not a crime'.
A teary-eyed rights activist Irom Sharmila, who has been on a hunger strike for 14 years, on Wednesday walked free from a make-shift prison in Imphal vowing to continue her fight for repeal of the Armed Forces Special Forces Act.
The 44-year-old iconic rights activist, who suddenly finds herself friendless and faces a hostile response from her supporters, acknowledged that people were unhappy with her decision to break her fast and enter politics.
Irom's elder brother Singhajit, who has been with her throughout her struggle said he never knew she was going to terminate her fast.
The iconic activist has said that she won't go home till the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act is repealed.
The Supreme Court on Saturday gave the Punjab government time till December 31 to persuade farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been fasting for over a month, to shift to hospital.
'There is a joke that is cracked in hushed tones sometimes in Manipur, what would many of the insurgent outfits do if AFSPA is indeed taken away? What would they fight against?'
Rights activist Irom Sharmila, who is on a fast for over 13 years in Manipur demanding repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, on Wednesday told a Delhi court that she was very much eager to eat if she gets the assurance that the "draconian" Act will be revoked.
A day after being released from jail, rights activist Irom Chanu Sharmila was on Friday arrested once again by police under the same charge of attempt to commit suicide by means of her indefinite fast.
Human rights activist Irom Chanu Sharmila, who has been charged with the offence of attempt to commit suicide by fasting, was on Monday released from judicial custody.
Iram Sharmila has been on fast for six year deamading the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act.
Activist Irom Chanu Sharmila, who has been on fast for the past 12 years demanding withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958, from Manipur, has been remanded to judicial custody for 15 days.
The Iron Lady of Manipur, who has been on hunger strike for 11 years against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, is an ordinary woman fighting an extraordinary struggle, finds Sumit Bhattacharya.
Social activist Irom Chanu Sharmila was on Friday forcibly taken away by the police from a small makeshift shelter outside the government-run hospital in Imphal where she was continuing her fast after being released from jail on Wednesday.
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