- Outrage in India over video showing naked parade of two women in Manipur
- Police open case of gang rape and arrest one male, others to be arrested soon
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi breaks silence, vows to bring culprits to justice
A video showing two women being nakedly paraded by a throng in the north-eastern Indian state of Manipur, which has been rocked by violent ethnic clashes, has outraged Indians.
The police have reportedly opened a case of gang rape and arrested one male, adding that others will be arrested shortly.
On Thursday, members of parliament in Delhi demanded a debate on the issue, disrupting the session.
In addition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the incident “shamed India” and that “no one will be spared.”
“I assure the nation that the law will be carried out with all of its power. What happened to the females of Manipur cannot be forgiven,” he said, breaking his silence on Manipur more than two months after the outbreak of violence.
The Supreme Court’s Chief Justice, DY Chandrachud, was “deeply disturbed by the video.” The chief justice warned the administration, “We will take action if you don’t.”
Manipur, a scenic Indian state bordering Myanmar, has been in turmoil for over two months due to deadly violence.
Conflicts between the majority of Meitei and minority Kuki tribal communities have led to their ultimate separation. There have been at least 130 deaths and 60,000 people have been displaced.
The two Kuki women were assaulted by members of the Meitei group.
The police say the women were assaulted on May 4, but the video went viral on Thursday, making national news. The federal government has requested that the video be removed from all social media platforms.
On Wednesday, the horrific video of the two women was extensively shared on social media. It depicts them being dragged and molested by a large group of men, who then force them into a field.
The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) stated in a statement that women from the Kuki-Zo tribal community were subjected to atrocities in a village in the Kangpokpi district. In addition, it was claimed that the women had been gang-raped.
It is well-known that women’s bodies are frequently used as a battlefield during uprisings and conflicts, and that rape and sexual assault are frequently employed as forms of punishment.
The assault on Kuki women in Manipur is the most recent instance. The footage of the women sobbing, grimacing in agony, and pleading with their attackers for mercy is upsetting to view.
The fact that the first arrest was not made until now, more than two months after the attack was reported to the police, does not inspire confidence in the authorities, especially considering that many of the individuals in the surveillance footage are easily identifiable.
But the outrage that followed the video’s release in India has brought the heinous crime to light. It also prompted Mr. Modi to mention Manipur’s ethnic violence and the state’s reluctance to soothe survivors.
To restore confidence in Manipur, particularly among the Kuki minority, the authorities are now under pressure to act promptly against the perpetrators and deliver justice to the women. People across the nation believe that this should not be occurring in contemporary India.
