Irom Sharmila

When the Indian population is rallying behind Anna Hazare, Ojas, a young dramatist from Pune starts another campaign with her solo play Le Mashale to garner support for Irom Sharmila Chanu, a poet turned social activist in Manipur.

Rumour has it that the film 'Imphal', presented by Hansal Mehta, is a biopic on political activist Irom Sharmila, and that actress Taapsee Pannu has been approached to play the protagonist in the film.

A Delhi University teacher has instituted a scholarship in the name of Irom Sharmila, the civil rights activist from Manipur who has been on hunger strike since November 2000 demanding repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA).

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday announced support to the fundraising efforts through crowd sourcing by Irom Sharmila for her party Peoples' Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) which is reportedly facing severe shortage of funds as it prepares to fight the Manipur elections.

Irom Sharmila has been on an indefinite fast since November 2, 2000, demanding the lifting of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.

Expressing solidarity with anti-AFSPA crusader Irom Sharmila, about 70 activists of an art group held a protest campaign to mark the completion of 25 years of the imposition of AFSPA on Saturday.

A teary-eyed rights activist Irom Sharmila, who has been on a hunger strike for 14 years, today walked free from a make-shift prison here vowing to continue her fight for repeal of the Armed Forces Special Forces Act.

Sharmila has been on a fast since November 4, 2000 demanding repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958.

Activist Irom Sharmila who recently called off her 16-year long fast finds it difficult to find a place to live as several residents of Manipur, including her own family who feel that the activist broke her promise and gave in early on her fight against the draconian rule of the AFSPA.

Irom Sharmila said she will continue her fast and that her stand on AFSPA remains unchanged. The draconian law must end, she told reporters.

The activist-turned-politician decided to enter politics after ending her 16-year-long fast against AFSPA in August 2016. She announced her intention to contest the Assembly elections in the state against incumbent chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh.

Imphal East chief judicial magistrate (CJM) on Wednesday charged activist Irom Sharmila under IPC’s Section 309 (attempt to commit suicide).

In a significant judgment that could set a precedent in favor of democratic protesters across the county, a sessions court in Imphal today ordered release of human rights activist Irom Sharmila Chanu, dismissing that she was attempting to commit suicide by way of hunger strike.

A few minutes before she was flown to New Delhi from Imphal around noon, Sharmila said, "I have not changed my stand to continue my mission until and unless the oppressive act is repealed."

Manipuri rights activist Irom Sharmila was on Wednesday acquitted by a Delhi court in a 2006 case of attempt to suicide when she was undertaking a fast-unto-death at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

For actor-director Navajith Narayanan, Irom Sharmila’s decision to end her 16-year-long hunger strike on 9 August 2016, was an inspiration to look at her life from close quarters, which ultimately catalysed in the creation of a solo performance, Sharmila.

Actress Taapsee Pannu has revealed she has been approached for a biopic on Irom Sharmila, the civil rights and political activist from Manipur.

The three-time chief minister had a comfortable victory over Irom Sharmila with a margin of 15,000 votes. The BJP candidate Leitanthem Basanta Singh stood on the second spot. This election is a crucial test for the 15-year-old Congress regime which is facing a stiff challenge from the BJP.

Sharmila filed her nominations on behalf of her Peoples' Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA), which is making an electoral debut, while Ibobi Singh for Congress. Anti-AFSPA crusader Irom Sharmila will be one of the main opponent against the Congress veteran in Thoubal.

Irom Sharmila Chanu's 11-year hunger strike against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has been featured in 'Ripley's Believe It or Not !'.

Thoubal, one of the 10 constituencies in Thoubal district, having an electorate of 27,728, has been a Congress bastion and is the backyard of Ibobi Singh, a two-time MLA from the seat since 2007.

With severe shortage of funds and manpower, Irom Sharmila's PRJA has taken to online crowdfunding to raise funds and campaigning on cycle to reach out to the masses. Kejriwal said that he is donating Rs 50,000 to her and also made an appeal to people on Twitter to help her while sharing the link.

The 2016 Irom Sharmila Scholarship has been jointly awarded to Rohit Vemula (posthumously) of Hyderabad Central University and Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union president, Kanhaiya Kumar) on Monday.

A Delhi court on Thursday issued production warrant for January 30 against rights activist Irom Sharmila after she failed to turn up in a case lodged against her for allegedly attempting suicide during her fast-unto- death here in 2006.

A trial court on Saturday set August 11 for recording the statement of activist Irom Sharmila in a case registered against her for trying to commit suicide in Delhi during her fast-unto-death in 2006.

Sharmila would appear before the metropolitan magistrate, Patiala house court, in New Delhi on Wednesday.