Nationwide Anguish Over Assault and Humiliation of Women Paraded Naked in Manipur
Supreme Court Deems Incident “Simply Unacceptable”; Demands Immediate Action from Centre and Manipur Government
New Delhi/Imphal, Jul 20 (City Times): The horrifying incident of two women being paraded naked in a Manipur village in May has sparked widespread outrage across the nation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the incident, stating that it had brought shame to 140 crore Indians. The Supreme Court also expressed its deep concern, terming the act “simply unacceptable.”
Following the emergence of a 26-second video depicting the May 4 mob violence in Manipur’s Senapati district, the two women became the focal point of national attention. Opposition parties raised the issue during Parliament proceedings, leading to disruptions. The police in the northeast state arrested one of the main accused, prominently seen in the video and believed to be the mastermind behind the act.
Authorities formed several police teams immediately after the video surfaced, and the first arrest in the case was made in Thoubal district. A case of abduction, gangrape, and murder against unidentified armed individuals has been registered.
Prime Minister Modi expressed his deep pain and anger over the incident and assured that the law would take its course, with no guilty person being spared. He emphasized that the incident had insulted the entire nation, and he urged all chief ministers to strengthen the law and order mechanism in their respective states.
Meanwhile, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh assured a thorough investigation into the incident and vowed strict action, including possible capital punishment, against those responsible. He expressed sympathy for the two women subjected to a deeply disrespectful and inhumane act.
The Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, took suo motu cognisance of the video and demanded immediate action from the Centre and the Manipur government. The bench, comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra, expressed deep distress over the incident and called for decisive government action to address the issue.
As proceedings in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha commenced for the Monsoon session, opposition MPs created uproar and demanded a discussion on the Manipur violence. Parties like Congress, Shiv Sena, and DMK raised the matter prominently.
In response, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticized the Prime Minister for his delayed response, terming it “too little too late.” Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Centre of turning democracy into “mobocracy” and demanded that the Prime Minister address the situation in Parliament. DMK president M K Stalin expressed his heartfelt sorrow over the violence and called for action to restore peace.
The government has requested Twitter and other social media platforms to take down the video since it is under investigation. The National Commission for Women has also taken suo motu cognisance of the incident. The ethnic violence in Manipur has resulted in over 150 deaths and numerous injuries since May 3.
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