Question

Write a short note on Irom Sharmila.

Answer 1

Irom Sharmila, known as the “Iron Lady of Manipur”, is a prominent civil rights activist from Manipur. She achieved international prominence for her hunger strike, which began on November 2, 2000, after the “Malom Massacre”. 10 innocent people were killed at a bus stop in Malom, Manipur, by the Assam Rifles, an Indian paramilitary force. Sharmila used nonviolent resistance to protest the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) and urge its repeal, inspired by a deeply moving experience. During her hunger strike, Sharmila was arrested on allegations of “attempt to commit suicide” and had to be force-fed through a nasal tube to survive. Despite facing physical and emotional challenges, she stayed steadfast in her campaign to overturn the AFSPA.