Imphal/ New Delhi: Human rights activist and founder of Peoples' Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) Irom Chanu Sharmila on Saturday expressed her desire to quit active politics following after her defeat in the recently concluded Manipur assembly polls.
However, despite her setback, a visibly upset Sharmila said, "I want PRAJA to survive and carry out my fight against AFSPA but I want to quit politics".
The PRJA founder, who plunged into politics to repeal the contentious AFSPA in Manipur, expressed her dissatisfaction over the poor response she got from the voters for whom she sacrificed several years of her life and raised her voice against the Centre.
"I continued without even water for 16 years yet... people need to be awakened. They let me down...The people let me down,” she said.
"They want me to be their version but I want to be just a normal human being, who has right to reality, right to choice, freedom to live freely,” she added.
She targeted both BJP and Congress, saying, “Both the BJP and Congress are equally dirty.”
In November 2000, Sharmila began a hunger strike to protest against the gunning down of 10 civilians by the Assam Rifles personnel waiting at a bus stop at Malom near Imphal airport. Sharmila broke her fast on August 9, 2016 nearly 16 years after she started her protest against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Manipur.
She contested the elections as an independent. Her party Peoples' Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) took to online crowdfunding to raise funds and campaigned on cycle to reach out to the masses.
PRJA contested in three seats in the 60 member Manipur assembly while Sharmila herself fought against Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh in Thoubal constituency.
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