IMPHAL, March 10 – Bollywood actor Abhay Deol released a new book on Manipur’s Iron Lady Irom Chanu Sharmila called Iron Irom: two journeys’ in Mumbai.
The book (providing a back-ground for Sharmila’s 1,000 word poem (Birth), is a personal, first-hand introduction of life in Manipur, the intricacies of AFSPA and related violations, and contains interviews with various people close to Sharmila including her family, and in the hour-long book reading and discussion that followed the release of the book in Mumbai on Frinday, writers and journalists like Jerry Pinto, Kalpana Sharma and Dilnaz Boga talked of the need to keep Sharmila alive in public consciousness, in the media, in the minds and hearts of people, according to sources available here.
Earlier, Deepti Priya Mehrotra and Malayalam playwright Civic Chandran have already authored two books – Burning Bright: Irom Sharmila and the Struggle for Peace in Manipur details Sharmila’s life and the political background of her fast and Meira Paibi (Women bearing torches), a drama.
Ojas SV, a theatre artist from Pune, has also been performed mono-play titled Le Mashale(“Take the torch”) based on Sharmila’s struggle at several places.
Ever since her arrest, she has been regularly released and re-arrested under IPC section 309, a punishable act meant for a person who “attempts to commit suicide”.
Meanwhile, Human rights groups have launched Save Sharmila campaign at various places in the country. The campaign will conclude at Imphal on March 12 where Sharmila is scheduled to be released from custody.
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