Sharmila urges Manipur Governor to repeal AFSPA

Imphal, Jan. 28: Manipur’s iconic activist Irom Sharmila, who floated a new party in October last year to take on Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh in the ensuing assembly elections, Saturday, urged the Governor Dr. Najma A Heptulla to remove AFSPA.
Barely two months after she broke, what is acknowledged as the world’s longest hunger strike – a marathon 16-years fast demanding repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), 44 year old Sharmila and some like-minded supporters formed Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA), a political party on October 18 last year and planned to contest in March 4 and 8 assembly elections.
In the meeting of Sharmila with Governor was also attended by Najma Bibi, a party candidate from Wabagai constituency and a PRJA functionary.
On Friday, PRJA convenor Erendro Leichombam, a candidate in Thangmeiband constituency in Imphal, also made an open challenge to other candidates in the constituency for an open dialogue where youth and public could pose unscripted questions to all candidates and then take an informed decision.