From Potti Sriramulu to Sonam Wangchuk: Hunger strikes that changed India’s politics
‘Hunger strike’ or ‘fast unto death’ has been observed in the annals of India’s history as one of most crushing forms of non-violent protest, demanding
‘Hunger strike’ or ‘fast unto death’ has been observed in the annals of India’s history as one of most crushing forms of non-violent protest, demanding immediate attention to a prevailing issue. Based in Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of satyagraha, fasting has emerged as a potent tool to bring immediate attention to demand justice and influence opinion. The crux of the method lies on the simple idea: a person or a community purposefully goes into fasting for an indefinite period to pressurise the state for immediate action. In the face of an acrimonious British colonial rule, Mahatma Gandhi undertook several fasts between 1918 and 1948 to lodge protest against communal violence, partisan policies, and high tax measures. Revolutionary leader Bhagat Singh had also leveraged the tactic, demanding equal treatment for Indian political prisoners under British rule. Hunger strike as a form of expressing dissent was also undertaken by political leaders. In 2009, the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhiobserved a fast demanding an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka which saw a brutal violence targeted against Tamils during the Eelam War. His fast came into an end within a day following an assurance by the Union government. In 1993, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa launched a high-profile hunger strike demanding Karnataka to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. Despite a differing context, both protests garnered significant outpour of sympathy across major public quarters. With Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike — seeking resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and accountability in NEET paper leaks gaining momentum — here are few key activists and leaders whose hunger strikes shaped the politics in India’s post-independence history. Potti Sriramulu: Birth of Andhra Pradesh Potti Sriramulu’s hunger strike in 1952, demanding a separate state for Telugu-speaking people, remains one of the most consequential cases of hunger strikes in India’s history.
His dream for linguistic identity struck a chord with native Telugu speakers. Following an arduous fasting of 58 days, he died on December 15, 1952, triggering widespread protests across the Madras Presidency. The massive unrest, resorting to widespread violence, resulted in then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s government to create Andhra State in 1953. Later, this set the stage for the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, which reorganised India’s boundaries largely on linguistic lines. Irom Sharmila: A 16-year long battle against AFSPA Recognised as the “Iron Lady of Manipur”, Irom Sharmila started her hunger strike in November 2000 in response to the Malom massacre that claimed the lives of 10 civilians. Her hunger strike demanded the repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). Sharmila’s fought a long battle to establish the human rights violations in conflict-hit regions. For nearly 16 years, she survived on force-feeding through a nasal tube while being repeatedly arrested on charges of attempting suicide. Despite her clarion call to repeal AFSPA, the contentious law remained in force during most of her protest. However, her campaign transformed the national discourse on civil liberties, fundamental rights, state’s use of military force, bringing international limelight into the cause. Anna Hazare: Crusading fast for anti-corruption bill Social activist Anna Hazare helmed the politics of hunger strike in 2011 after he started an indefinite hunger strike demanding a Jan Lokpal law to combat corruption. His protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar became one of the watershed movement for fight against corruption. This also led to the birth of the India Against Corruption campaign. This became one of the crucial movement in the country, amassing the dissension of commoner’s against then Congress government.
The BriefWire