After sixteen years of fasting to get the Armed Forces Special Provisions Act repealed in Manipur, and being fed through tubes running through her nose all these years, Irom Sharmila has broken her fast. But the people are not amused...
She fasted for sixteen long years,
On a matter of high principle.
On the way, she was idolised,
and her status raised to Godhood.
Society needs its Gods to worship:
Ideals they themselves cannot reach.
But every God is cast in stone,
locked up, and is surrounded by priests.
They are revered, they become legend,
Prayers are composed in their name;
They are feted, there are rituals,
To ensure the legend grows with time.
They are imprisoned, they cannot run,
There's reason they were cast in stone.
In their name, there's now an empire,
Grown prosperous in God's name.
She broke the mould, she broke her resolve -
She broke her fast, she just changed her mind!
The empire that was built in her name,
Crumbled, the God just walked away!
Now they are screaming in outrage,
They pillory her, put her to shame.
There's price to pay for their worship,
Gods are cast in stone, they cannot change!
For our Gods are but an excuse,
To continue in our corrupt ways;
Once bribed through prayer, neither us,
Nor the Gods we create can change!
Dinesh Gopalan
12 August, 2016
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