MUMBAI: Today is the hearing date of Sharmila's court case against armed forces special powers act (Afspa) and as she's summoned by the government of Manipur which claims that due to lack of funds, Irom Sharmila cannot be flown to Delhi for her court case today.

At a panel discussion event held in the city last evening, Bollywood actor Sharmila Tagore said, "I am ashamed at myself for not being aware of the cause until five years ago. I am completely supportive of the cause Irom has been fighting for over a decade now. And today is the day when Afspa completes fifty-five years of existence in India. Let us come together as a nation to express our solidarity towards her cause."

The panel discussion was held to honour the on-going efforts of Irom Sharmila captured by author Minnie Vaid in her book 'Iron Irom, Two Journeys' published by Rajpal and Sons.

Author Minnie Vaid said, "I want everybody to join this cause, not only you and me but everybody to be aware of the cause, the struggle of Irom, hence her journey as a fighter in the form of a book."

Human Rights Alert (HRA), founder and director Panelist Babloo Loitongbam, expressed that "Irom received awards and accolades from within the country and even abroad, but she did not want to become an icon. She wanted to be portrayed as an ordinary individual because she was seen as an extraordinary person that she would not be seen as a symbol of sacrifice."