It took Anna Hazare all of 10 days to move the Govt out of its slumber. Its taken Irom Sharmila 10 years but Irom Sharmila's crusade has only fallen on deaf ears.
But spurned by Anna's movementthe Iron Lady of Manipur has found new support.
The support for iron lady from Manipur, Irom Sharmila has gained momentum. Various students organizations under the banner of North East Students Organization (NESO) took out a candlelight vigil in Guwahati on Monday (24th April) supporting Irom Sharmilas 10 years of crusade demanding repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from North East.
NESO has demanded that Sharmilas non violent and democratic protest should be taken seriously by the Central Govt. There was an uprising in the entire country with Gandhian, Anna Hazare going on a fast unto death in protest against corruption and demanding the Lokpal bill.
But Irom Sharmila has completed 10 years of fasting and is still continuing. NESO has asked that does the nation care about Northeast and does the nation recognize peaceful and silent protest like the one carried out by Irom Sharmila.
NESO fully supports Anna Hazares fight against corruption, but at the same time wants that Sharmilas decade long fight to save innocent civilians from the atrocities of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act should not get ignored and there should not be any discriminatory attitude towards the people of the Northeast.
Questions are now being raised as to whether if the Nation has fogotten the North-East and the alleged brutality of the Army in the region .Or will India only respond to well known activists and movie stars ?
Its time we did some introspection.