Newmai News Network
IMPHAL, May 28
[dropcap]H[/dropcap]uman rights crusader Irom Sharmila’s attempt to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi proved futile.
Sharmila had left Imphal for New Delhi to appear before a court there today. She appeared before the Patiala Court in New Delhi today. She is returning to Imphal tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leaders, including its national president Arunkumar Srivastava, JD-U leader from South India Radhakhrisna and Manipur unit JD-U chief N Tombi, however, apprised Union Home minister Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari, who is the Union Minister for Shipping and Road Transport and Highways ( RTH), on Sharmila’s demand for repeal of controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 1958. The Union ministers have reportedly told the JD-U leaders over phone that the matter will be discussed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Before leaving Imphal on Tuesday, Sharmila had expressed hope that Modi would oblige to her request for meeting to discuss the AFSPA.A case is pending against her in the court there in connection with her agitation at Jantar Mantar, Delhi demanding the repeal of the AFSPA some years ago.
Irom Sharmila is agitating by way of refusing to eat food (fast unto death) since the year 2000 demanding the repeal of AFSPA. The authority has arrested her and jailed her on the ground that her move amounts to attempt of committing suicide. Since Sharmila has been nose-fed forcibly by the authority. She needs constant medical attention and so she has been lodged at the security ward of Jawarharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal.
