Hunger strike: Irom Sharmila's mother refuses to meet her

Imphal, Sept 29: The mother of Irom Chanu Sharmila, Manipur's iron lady, refused to meet her daughter unless she achieves her mission.

Irom Sharmila Chanu had expressed her desire to meet her mother for the first time since her indefinite hunger strike which started on Nov 5, 2000, demanding the government to withdraw the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 from Manipur and other north eastern parts of India.

Shakhi Devi, her mother has been quoted as saying,“This is not the right time to meet as the issue has not yet been resolved. Till the AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) is withdrawn, she will remain on strike and we will not meet."

She added that the mother-daughter reunion will weaken Sharmila's strength and courage to continue her long battle. "I don't want her to be weak in this fight. She needs continuous courage to go on," she said.

Before beginning her fast, Irom had announced that she wouldn't meet her mother as long as she was on her mission.

OneIndia News