Imphal: Tension escalated in the hills of Manipur after a May 4 video surfaced on social media, showing two women from one warring community being paraded naked by some men from the other side. The video was circulating on the eve of a planned protest march announced by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) on Thursday to highlight their plight. According to an ITLF spokesperson, “The appalling scenes that took place on May 4 in Kangpokpi district, show men relentlessly assaulting helpless women, who cry and plead for their captors.” The agony is compounded by the perpetrators’ decision to share the video, which disguises the identity of the victims, on social media.”
The police is now investigating the matter. In a statement, the spokesperson condemned the “heinous act” and demanded that the central and state governments, the National Commission for Women and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes take cognizance of the crime and bring the culprits to justice.
The Kuki-zo tribals are also planning to raise the issue during their proposed protest march in Churchandpur on Thursday. Ethnic clashes have been raging in Manipur state since May 3 between the majority Meitei, concentrated in the Imphal Valley, and the Kuki people who occupy the hills. So far more than 160 people have died in the violence.
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Opposition demands discussion on Manipur
Ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament, the entire opposition is set to raise issues including Manipur violence, railway safety, unemployment, price rise, India-China border situation and trade balance between the two countries.
The pictures of sexual violence against women coming from Manipur are heart wrenching. The amount of condemnation of this horrific incident of violence against women is less. Women and children have to bear the maximum brunt of violence in the society.
Looking forward to all of us pursuing peace efforts in Manipur… — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) 19 July 2023
Some parties plan to move an adjournment motion on the Manipur violence, among other issues, on the first day of the monsoon session of Parliament on Thursday. The monsoon session will continue till August 11 and will have 17 sittings.
Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), Samajwadi Party, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Janata Dal United (JDU), Dravina Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), CPM, CPI, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) shared their plans while talking to the media, which was followed by an all-party meeting called by the government in the Parliament complex. , A total of 34 parties and 44 leaders took part in the meeting.
The Congress on Wednesday announced raising the issue of Manipur violence on the first day of the monsoon session and sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s response on the matter. “At the beginning (of the meeting) today, I made my point. Our first issue is the violence in Manipur. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should come and answer this issue in Parliament. We will bring an adjournment motion on the matter tomorrow,” he said. Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said after attending an all-party meeting called by the government.
Chowdhary, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, also said that the issue of floods and India’s federal structure should be discussed. At the meeting, Chowdhury said, he asked the government to allow all opposition parties to speak in the House, adding, “We have not come here for tourism, so want discussion in the House.”
AAP leader Sanjay Singh objected to the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 and said his party as well as other like-minded opposition parties would oppose the bill when it is introduced in the House for passage.
He further said that his party would also take up the Manipur violence and misuse of central agencies, among other issues. IUML leader Mohammad Basheer said he lodged a strong protest against the Uniform Civil Code at the meeting and “I say it is dangerous and will disturb the harmony of the country.”
Tiruchi Siva of DMK also demanded that the Manipur incident should be discussed in the monsoon session and PM Modi should come to the House and give his statement.