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The question of greatness
Some people are born great, some achieve greatness, while in some cases greatness is thrust upon them. While we are sure that Sharmila Chanu, who has been on a fast unto death agitation demanding the revocation of the Armed Forces Special Power Act since 2000 following the infamous Malom massacre, was not born great, we cannot say for sure to which of the two latter categories she should be clubbed.
It is now nearly two years since the gutsy young woman undertook the fast unto death agitation and during this period, the attention and interest of the general public and the local media on the young woman has been sporadic. Now with the woman out of jail and continuing with her fast and with the Chief Minister agreeing to meet her, Sharmila is once again hot news.
While we acknowledge the sheer guts and conviction of the young woman to continue with her fast undaunted through these last two years, well almost two years, we cannot help but note that one person, Irom Sharmila, has become an issue and dare we add, Sharmila as the issue is threatening to over shadow the very issue for which she launched her fast unto death agitation. To many, the point of interest is not what the young woman is standing for but how long will she continue with her fast as well as retreat course she would chart out if she decides to call it today.
Today Sharmila is in the news because there is any development or progress in the demands placed by her but because the people are interested in what she plans to do. This is not to say that the issue for which she launched her agitation has been buried, far from it. Sharmila attracted the attention of the people of Manipur and the media because she took up a cause which was dear to all, but the point we are trying to convey is that the woman herself has become an item for discussion more than the cause for which she launched her agitation.
With the Centre not paying any heed to the demands of the young woman and with the hands of the State Government tied for all practical purposes, it is therefore not surprising that the attention of the people should veer away from the issue to the woman. Everyone today is concerned more about the health and well being of the woman than with the impact her agitation has caused. To our reading, the issue before the people today is what now? Should Sharmila be allowed to continue with her fast or should the Government and the civil societies step in and chart out a respectable course for the woman to drop her fast? If she continues with her fast, what then? Will this wake up the Centre or should she be allowed to die fasting? The answers are not easy for the reality before us tells that the State Government will not let her die.
Rather Sharmila would again be taken into custody and forced fed as was done before at the security ward of JN Hospital. And of course there is no indication that the Armed Forces Powers Act will be revoked in the immediate future. Already we can discern two lines of thought. While one says that Sharmila has done more than enough and even though the Government may not have acceded to her demands the young woman has made her point and the time ripe to chart out a respectable retreat route for her to drop her agitation.
The other line of thought is also of the opinion that an honorable chart of retreat may be scripted but also adds with equal intensity that if Sharmila drops her fast now, any future agitation or demand for the revocation of the Act will be reduced to a farce. Both sides have their own merit but what cannot be disputed is the point that the issue known as Sharmila is today in a Catch-22 situation. In the ultimate analysis only history will answer the question whether Sharmila achieved greatness or whether greatness was thrust upon Sharmila.
(Courtesy: The Sangai Express)
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