I love life, says Manipur's Irom Sharmila in Delhi court

naeem@coastaldigest.com (PTI)
March 4, 2013
New Delhi, Mar 4: A Delhi court on Monday framed charges against Irom Sharmila Chanu, who has been on fast for about 12 years demanding repeal of controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), for allegedly attempting to commit suicide during her 'fast until death' here in 2006.

Metropolitan Magistrate (MM) Akash Jain framed charges against 40-year-old Ms Chanu under section 309 (attempting to commit suicide) of the IPC after she refused to plead guilty, saying that her's was a non-violent protest.iromsharmi

Putting her on trial, the court has now listed the matter for May 22 for recording of prosecution evidence in the case relating to her fast until death which started on October 4, 2006 at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi demanding revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).

Amid protest outside the court premises, Ms Chanu appeared before the judge and said, "I do not want to commit suicide.

Mine is only a non-violent protest. It is my demand to live as a human being."

She also told the court, "I love life. I do not want to take my life but I want justice and peace".

The magistrate, however, told her that she has been accused of attempting to commit suicide and prima facie the charge is there against her.

On being asked by the court "Do you plead guilty?" Ms Chanu said no and claimed trial.

"I respect you but the law of the land does not permit you to take your life," the judge said, asking her counsel to make her understand the process.

Even after discussions with her counsel, Ms Chanu said, "If AFSPA will be repealed by the government then only I will take food and will throw the food pipe" through which she is fed.

The court, however, told her, "This is a political process. Here I am concerned with this case only."

Ms Chanu had launched her fast unto death in 2000 after 10 civilians were killed by Assam Rifles personnel at Malom area near Imphal airport.

She is now in judicial custody and is being fed through her nose.

Ms Chanu was flown to New Delhi from Manipur on Sunday evening for the court proceedings.

Her lawyer told the court that her client has been protesting for the last 12 years in the most non-violent way like Mahatma Gandhi.

The lawyer said she is fasting for the people of Manipur as they are being "neglected" by the government.

Citing her medical condition, the lawyer requested the judge that she should not be asked to appear in court again and again.

The lawyer also said that she has already undergone the one year sentence which is the maximum sentence for the offence under section 309 of the IPC under which she has been charged.

She had earlier said she was confident that the government will listen to her and concede to her demand to revoke AFSPA.

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News Network
July 11,2020

New Delhi, Jul 11: India's COVID-19 case count crossed the eight lakh-mark on Saturday with yet another highest single-day spike of 27,114 new cases in the last 24 hours.

As many as 519 deaths were reported during this period.

The total number of positive cases in the country stands at 8,20,916, including 2,83,407 active cases, 5,15,386 cured/discharged/migrated and 22,123 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

With as many as 2,38,461 COVID-19 cases, Maharashtra continues to remain the worst-affected state, followed by Tamil Nadu (1,30,261) and Delhi (1,09,140).

Meanwhile, 1,13,07,002 samples have been tested for COVID-19 till July 10. Out of these 2,82,511 samples were tested yesterday, according to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).

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News Network
June 11,2020

New Delhi, Jun 11: Petrol and diesel prices on Thursday were hiked by 60 paise per litre each - the fifth straight daily increase in rates since oil PSUs ended an 82-day hiatus in rate revision.

Petrol price in Delhi was hiked to Rs 74 per litre from Rs 73.40 while diesel rates were increased to Rs 72.22 a litre from Rs 71.62, according to a price notification of state oil marketing companies.

Rates have been increased across the country and vary from state to state depending on the incidence of local sales tax or VAT.

This is the fifth daily increase in rates in a row since oil companies on Sunday restarted revising prices in line with costs, after ending an 82-day hiatus.

In five hikes, petrol price has gone up by Rs 2.74 per litre and diesel by Rs 2.83.

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Agencies
May 1,2020

New Delhi, May 1: The Centre has finalsed the criteria for delimitation of various zones after May 3. It has identified at least 130 districts as red zones, 284 orange zones and 319 green zones.

According to a letter written by Health Secretary Preeti Sudan to the Chief Secretaries of all States and UTs, all the states have to delineate the containment areas and buffer zones in the identified red and orange zone districts and notify the same.

The letter said, the national capital has at least 11 red zones, Uttar Pradesh 19 red zones, 36 orange zones and 20 green zones while, the state of Haryana has 2 red zones, 18 orange zones and 2 green zones.

The Gautam Buddha Nagar in Uttar Pradesh has been identified as a red zone district while, Ghaziabad has been designated as an orange zone. The national capital has no orange and green zone; there are only red zones according to the letter.

In Maharashtra, Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nashik come in the red zone.

In West Bengal, Kolkata, Howrah, 24 Parganas -- both North and South have been identified as red zones while Hooghly, Nadia, Murshidabad etc have been marked as orange zones.

In the southern part of India, Kerala has 2 red zones and 10 orange zones, while Tamil Nadu has 12 red zones and 24 orange zones.

The Health Secretary said that the list will be revised on a weekly basis or earlier and communicated to states for further follow-up action in consonance with the directions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 based on field feedback and additional analysis at state level, states may designate additional red or orange zones as appropriate.

However, states may not relax the zonal classification of districts classified as red or orange as communicated by the Ministry. This classification is multi-factorial and takes into consideration incidence of cases, doubling rate, extent of testing and surveillance feedback to classify the districts.

A district will be considered under green zone, if there are no confirmed cases so far or there is no reported case since the last 21 days in the district.

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