Manipur CM N Biren Singh reacted to the video of two women being paraded naked on a road by a group of men and assured capital punishment for the culprits. (Image: PTI/File)
A video shot on May 4 surfaced on Wednesday showing two women from one of the warring communities in Manipur being paraded naked and molested by a mob from the other side
Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP) on Friday called for the dismissal of the N Biren Singh government in Manipur after a video surfaced of two women being paraded naked in the ethnic strife-torn state. The opposition party in Assam held the Manipur government accountable for the incident and the ongoing unrest in the state.
A video shot on May 4 surfaced on Wednesday showing two women from one of the warring communities in Manipur being paraded naked and molested by a mob from the other side. The alleged main accused was arrested on Thursday. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation across the country.
“The incident shows there is absolute anarchy in the state and immediate intervention is needed. The intelligence failure, connivance of authorities, and inaction of the state and the central governments are painful not only for the people of Manipur but for all the citizens of the country,” AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi said.
Manipur Police’s alleged presence at the scene during the incident without providing adequate protection to the victims has raised serious questions about the state’s governance and the authorities’ responsiveness, he added. “We urge President Droupadi Murmu to issue suitable directives to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Manipur government to take immediate action to restore peace and normalcy,” Gogoi said.
More than 160 people have lost their lives and several injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)