Irom Sharmila: Signs of a Struggle

On August 9, the day of her release, the 44-year-old Iron Lady of Manipur decided to seek shelter with her old friend Dr Th Suresh, former health director, Manipur government. But she was turned away by the residents of Keishamthong, where he lives. The police then took her to Ima market, before taking her to the police station. Then, they took her to Iskcon — Sharmila had earlier expressed her wish to go there — but was turned away there as well. Now, Sharmila was officially homeless. The police finally took her back to the hospital room, her prison for the past 16 years.

“We had discussed her decision. I believe she broke her fast because she felt that she was increasingly losing support among the people of the state, that AFSPA as an issue had been sidelined. But I also said that joining politics was an absolute no-no. She seemed to listen then but went back to her original decision,” says Suresh, who has known Sharmila since 2006 when he took over the state government’s health department. He would check on her on the first of every month, and though his visits became less frequent after his retirement two years ago. They were close friends, they both wanted AFSPA repealed. In fact, in 2012, Suresh had filed a case to repeal AFSPA in the Supreme Court. Next month, he will travel to Delhi for the final hearing of the case.

“That day, when Sharmila came to my home, it was very sudden. I had to consult the local Meira Paibis (mother-activists) to see if she was permitted to stay. They vehemently said no. I had to apologise to her. I could not take the risk in case there was violence,” he says. Dr Suresh recommended that Swadhar, a woman’s shelter run by a voluntary organisation, take her in. The shelter is run by Ch Sharmila Devi, the head Meira Paibi of the colony. “Sharmila came all of a sudden. But the colony was against her. If she had told us beforehand we could’ve consulted with the colony. We don’t have to consult the colony for every destitute woman — but Sharmila is not just any destitute woman. They could have come and burnt down this building, and we couldn’t take the risk. People had come out of their homes to bar her from coming in,’’ she says.

Indrakumar Thockchom, 42, owns a grocery store on the main road of the colony. He says the people were right in turning her away. “We feel betrayed. She has not fulfilled her vow. I think she may have been drugged,’’ he says. Another resident, Ph Gunarani, 40, says that she has always supported Sharmila. “I was upset when I heard she had broken her fast. All this struggle — and no benefits from it at all,” she says.

The man behind the Save Sharmila campaign, Babloo Loitongbam, tries to explain the anger against her. “There is a saying in Manipur: ‘When you begin a story you have to complete it, otherwise a wild elephant will chase you in your dreams’. The concept of this narrative is very strong in Manipur. Sharmila’s narrative is not just her own. The story has to have a happy ending, unless it does, the story is not over,’’ he says.

Before August 9, support for Sharmila was spread across Manipur; now, that base is split. While many remain angry and upset at her decision, a large section of Manipuri society, across age groups and professions, have come out in support of the Iron Lady. “She never wanted to be on a pedestal. So, we have to bring her down now. I support her completely in her decision to join politics. I think Sharmila’s commitment to justice, whether she is fasting or not, is unwavering. If she contests the elections, it will not just be about AFSPA any longer, her scope will be much larger and I am confident that she will bring about big changes in our political landscape as well as Manipuri society,” says Nandini Thockchom, a woman’s rights activist in Imphal. Senior journalist with the Imphal Free Press Paojel Chaoba says that in his interviews with Sharmila, she has time and again said that she has been misunderstood by her people. “She has done more for the cause than any one of us. She’s welcome to do as she likes now. In the past, she mentioned to me that she is losing support. This is the time for us to give Sharmila our support,” he says.

The anger has begun to ebb. Apart from the Red Cross, the Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights in Ukhrul district has invited Sharmila to stay with them, as well as a Children’s Home in Senapati district. Last week, Sharmila reconciled with the Meira Paibis. They decided to struggle to repeal AFSPA in their own ways — the same goal with different paths.