Sharmila’s fast may’ve spurred AFSPA rethink

Saying that the long struggle of human rights activist Irom Sharmila has impacted the government’s thinking on the Armed Forces ( Special Powers) Act ( AFSPA) in Manipur, Union minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju called for finding a way out, keeping in mind security issues. The minister did not deny a rethink on the AFSPA.

Mr Rijiju told a news channel that the government has to admit Ms Sharmila’s struggle but also find a way out. Ms Irom Sharmila, who recently walked free after a court order, was rearrested for “attempt to suicide” and sent to 15day judicial custody. Immediately after her freedom, Ms Sharmila had continued with her fast, staging a protest not far from the jail hospital which she left after her release. She said that the AFSPA imposed in Manipur is a “draconian law” which must be withdrawn.

On the refusal of several UPA- appointed governors to shift to the north- eastern states, especially Mizoram, the minister, who is from Arunachal Pradesh, said those governors must “apologise to the nation”.

“It is a very emotive issue for me. When a person is posted to the Northeast and he refuses to go there, that person loses the moral authority to speak on equality in the country. If people like governors and IAS and IPS officers will only choose serving in metropolitan and comfortable cities, then they don’t deserve to be in their position,” he said.