Irom Sharmila quietly celebrates birthday inside hospital

Irom Sharmila, who has been on an indefinite fast for the past 11 years demanding withdrawal of the controversial AFSPA from Manipur, today spent her 40th birthday quietly inside the hospital where she is forced fed through the nose.

Sharmila's elder brother Irom Singhajit said there were no celebrations nor any visitors inside the high-security ward of the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, where the 'Iron Lady' is kept.

"She likes her birthday to be very quiet and is just like any other day for her. The government allows visitors rarely and today there was none," he told PTI.

"To mark the occasion, we had candle-light programmes all over the state and press for repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act," Singhajit said.

Her supporters, family and members of the 'Save Sharmila campaign', Just Peace Foundation and women activists from 'Apunba Lup' (women rights NGO) took part in the programmes.

It was only yesterday that the civil rights activist was re-arrested within 24 hours of being released.

She has been arrested, released and re-arrested for not eating over the last 11 years. Every fortnight she is taken to the magistrate and as she refuses to break her fast, the court extends her judicial remand for another 15 days.