On December 10, which is also observed as the Human Rights Day, a signature campaign will be conducted at Rajghat, to support social activist Irom Sharmila’s struggle. If everything goes right, various groups of students and women activists will gather at the venue to observe a one day solidarity fast.
According to the organisers, this campaign started by social activists has already conducted activities such as candlelight vigils, public meetings and documentary screenings previously to strengthen the movement. The Save Sharmila page on Facebook has already registered more than 8,000 members, informs Faisal Khan, from National Alliance of People’s Movement.
He says, “Recently, we conducted the Srinagar-Imphal Save Sharmila Jan Karwan which generated a good response from all parts of the country. This campaign is being popularised and spread online to get maximum support from students and other activists. The idea is to urge the government to revoke the AFSPA and stop the judicial killings, illegal detentions, fake encounters, rapes and torture of the civilian population in the affected states.”
The organisers are expecting approximately 450-500 people at Rajghat and they want to make it a pan-India movement in coming days.
Ravi Nitesh, a poet and a social activist, says, “We will be participating at the movement to show our support for Irom Sharmila, who is fasting for the past 11 years. December 10 being International Human Rights Day, we have chosen this day to organise this event. Many youngsters and college students are also part of this movement, and we hope that this succeeds in raising more awareness.”