Irom Sharmila faces identity crisis

Guwahati, August 23 (HT): She may be India’s best-known rights activist with millions of followers across the world but back home in Manipur, Irom Sharmila has no legal identification document.   The 44-year-old broke a 16-year fast earlier this month, saying she would fight elections to continue her campaign against a controversial law (AFSPA) shielding armymen from prosecution against even rape and murder charges. But she has no documents to establish even her citizenship- no permanent account number (PAN) card, bank account or voter identity card – which are necessary for her to fight the polls.   Her friends say they have begun the legwork to get Sharmila the documents she needs to prove her citizenship and subsequently enter electoral politics.   “Her campaign, if at all she ends up in politics, needs to be crowd-funded. And for that she needs a bank account and a PAN card while it is unimaginable for anyone without a voter ID to be a people’s representative,” one of her friends said.   Sharmila broke her fast on August 9, saying she wanted to become chief minister and repeal Afspa. Her decision angered many in Manipur- including members of her family--who shunned her. But four of her friends stood by the 44-year-old, cooking simple meals for the frail Sharmila and marshalling resources to get documents for the “new chapter” in her life.   "We know she is strong, but even the strongest need reassurance that he or she is not alone,” Nandini Thokchom, one of Sharmila’s friends, said. The other three--Ranjita, Monica and Reetika--have been staying with Sharmila in her hospital ward since August 9. They say support for Sharmila has been swelling after the initial animosity. Most of her well-wishers are those who would be first-time voters in Manipur’s assembly election next year.   The four friends have been cleaning Sharmila’s room and helping her switch from liquid to semi-liquid and solid food. Sharmila, attendants at Imphal’s Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences said, appears more cheerful than she was soon after Manipur reacted to her breaking the fast. “The meeting with her mother (84-year-old Irom Sakhi) in her ward on August 19 could have been a reason,” an attendant said, adding that Sharmila was responding well to her new diet.   L Ranbir, the medical superintendent, said Sharmila was fit, physically and mentally. “The adaptation of her body is remarkable.”   'Fasting didn't help, I have only changed strategy'   Imphal, August 23 (IANS): Irom Sharmila said on Tuesday that she had only changed her strategy against a law which gives sweeping powers to security forces as years of fasting against it had not helped. "I have learned the hard way that my fasting has not had the desired result," the activist told the media after coming out of the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West, L. Tonsing. Sharmila ended 16 years of fast on August 9, inviting criticism from many of her supporters. "I have supporters at the national and international level. I plan to continue my campaign. I have not given up my campaign. I have only changed my strategy," she said. In the court, some persons displayed handbills with slogans like "I support Sharmila".