The Manipur office of the Indian Red Cross Society on Wednesday opened its doors to activist Irom Sharmila, who has no place to go after being granted bail in a case of attempt to suicide. Ms. Sharmila ended her 16-year hunger strike against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act on Tuesday.
“Considering the complexity of the situation, where she has no place of shelter, we have decided to welcome her on the Red Cross office premises on humanitarian grounds,” Y. Mohen Singh, Honorary Secretary of the Red Cross, Manipur State Office, told The Hindu .
A proposal in this regard had been sent to Ms. Sharmila through voluntary organisations, he said.
Dr. Singh said the Red Cross headquarters expressed its support to the decision taken by the State office. However, the Red Cross had put a condition that Ms. Sharmila should not indulge in political activities during her stay on the organisation premises.
DonationThe association between Ms. Sharmila and the Red Cross is not new. According to its office-bearers, two years ago, Ms. Sharmila donated Rs. 3 lakh to the organisation from the proceeds of the international awards she got.
However, Ms. Sharmila would have to spend some more time in the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, where she is staying.
Acclimatisation“She has not eaten for so many years. Her digestive system has to acclimatise itself to oral feeding,” said Dr. Singh, head of the Pathology department at the JNIMS.
Doctors treating Ms. Sharmila at the JNIMS said she had been put on a special liquid diet as she could not shift to oral food immediately. While she met visitors during the day, security in the hospital had been tightened as certain underground groups have opposed her decision to end her fast.
Ending her fast on Tuesday, Ms. Sharmila said she would join politics and wanted to become Chief Minister of Manipur.
