Displeased Manipur locals shun 'Iron Lady' Irom Sharmila

A day after she broke her 16-year fast against a law that gives sweeping powers to the military, Irom Sharmila is suddenly finding herself virtually friendless in Manipur

Imphal: A day after she broke her 16-year fast against a law that gives sweeping powers to the military, Irom Sharmila is suddenly finding herself virtually friendless in Manipur. From her family to close friends and even neighbours, no one wants to even shake hands with a feisty woman who went without food and water these long years, earning the sobriquet “Iron Lady”.

Manipuri human rights activists shout slogans against Irom Sharmila’s decision to break her fast in Imphal. pic/PTI 

Ironically, she has returned to the same hospital that had been her home for 16 years. But this time it has nothing to do with her health. It is simply because she has no place to sit or sleep.

Her own family doesn’t want her. When some good samaritans offered her temporary shelter, locals came out to object. Local women have made it known that she was not welcome in the locality.

Sharmila is unhappy people have not understood her decision to give up the hunger strike, get into politics and also get married. Activists seem to be displeased with her plans to marry an NRI. Women who launched hunger strikes in solidarity now say Irom has been “brainwashed”. 

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