Manipur Elections 2017: Irom Sharmila promises politics that’s as clean as a whistle

A few metres off National Highway 39, which leads to Moreh and then on to Myanmar, lies what constitutes the semblance of a road — a dirt path full of mud. It is on this road that a lone Alto is trudging along, trying to bring about a change that people in these parts have rarely seen.  

Inside it, armed with a packet of black whistles, Irom Chanu Sharmila, who gave up her 16-year-long fast for a repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), is carrying out her unflinchingly-independent election campaign. Passing alongside the odd tempo dressed in the flags of either the BJP or the Congress, blaring songs that speak of ushering in development, Irom is making good on her promise to enter politics, and remains steadfastly positive.  

Her party, Peoples Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA), is fielding a handful of candidates, with Irom standing for elections from Thoubal, the constituency of Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh. The party’s symbol is a whistle.  

The first stop is Khelakung village in Wabgai constituency. Populated mostly by Muslims, the villagers seem to have a bond with Najima Bibi, a PRJA member, who is contesting the elections from Wabgai. It is here that they are joined by party convenor James Mayengbam.  

Inside the hamlet, the women are slowly and shyly coming out to the courtyard where Najima and Sharmila have settled down to ask for votes. It is when they have settled down that the women tell Sharmila and Najima that they had no idea that the former was contesting the elections.  

“I stopped my protest against AFSPA because it was an isolated one. I know that it is important for all of us to come out in support of each other. The Manipuri society is vexed by several problems. AFSPA hasn’t yet been lifted, and the people who went missing have not yet come back,” she tells a gathering, which seems to hang on to her every word.

Najima tells the women that only a woman can bring about the change that they hope for. Local leader Chma, too, chimes in. “Look at us, the men don’t let us go out of our homes and so we have to be content with small-scale enterprises like looming. We need a change,” she says.  

The women seem to agree, and they let go of Sharmila with warm smiles.  

The next stop, however, isn’t a cakewalk. Sharmila moves to the Khong-Manu locality in Leishentham, and it is clear that she is not welcome in this stronghold of CM Ibobi. The villagers, who come out within seconds, had stopped her from entering the area a day earlier.  

But on this day, Sharmila makes her way in, along with Najima. She proceeds to speak to a gathering of people who are clearly not moved by what she has to say.  

Bijen Irom, 26, who’s watching the proceedings, says that the community has the deepest respect for Sharmila, but owes its obeisance to Ibobi. “We know that one day Sharmila will become a great leader, and we support her.

Yet, this is not her time yet. Ibobi has given us jobs, made roads for us, and the petrol here is cheaper than in Imphal,” says Bijen.  

But Sharmila, on her part, says, “People have begged me to stop (campaigning), and Congress workers also come and ask me sometimes to take back my nomination. I cannot do that; politics is a dirty world, and I intend to clean it up.”  

James, one of the first to have come to her support after Sharmila’s old supporters disbanded when she renounced her fast, says that it is pure grit that is leading them on. 

“We don’t have the finances, and Sharmila has her moods. She’s been away from people for so long that her social skills are now rusty. She hasn’t used the Internet all these years, and struggles even to use Facebook. She knows how to use Gmail, but keeps on forgetting her password ever so often,” he laughs.  

Perhaps, it is not time yet, but one must agree that a revolution might already have started.