Women organisations seek stern action against naked parading of women in Manipur
VISAKHAPATNAM: Women leaders of several organisations have demanded stern action against those who paraded women naked in violence-hit Manipur state.
The organisations were the NFIW, All India Democratic Women’s Association, Mahila Chetna, AP Mahila Samakhya, Chaitanya Mahila Sangam, Aam Aadmi Party, Progressive Organisation for Women, the Human Rights Forum etc.
They urged the Supreme Court to intervene and take note of all the sexual assault cases as also the “horrible living conditions” in the camps that housed thousands of refugees fleeing the violence-affected areas in the north-eastern state.
A protest was held here on Friday in which citizens, activists, and leaders expressed their anguish over the naked parading of women in the streets of Manipur. They condemned the inhuman act as also circulation in social media of the video that showed two Kuki tribals being paraded naked and subjected to sexual abuse.
They alleged that the violence “promoted” by the government, particularly targeted indigenous groups.
The protests began at the Gandhi Statue close to the RTC complex. The demonstrators held banners and raised slogans urging the Supreme Court to keep track of all sexual assault cases and the horrible living conditions in the camps for refugees there and act strongly against these.
They said Meitei majoritarian organisations like Arambai Tenggol and Meitei Leepun operated with impunity, fanning violence against the tribals.
AP Mahila Samakhya leader Vimala expressed shock at the restrictions placed on information flow in Manipur and objected to the filing of significant charges against the NFIW team, which recently conducted an investigation into the violence in Manipur. She said even professors who had spoken out against the brutality against the Kukis and Zomi tribe members were hounded and attempts made to frame them in false criminal cases.
Vimala claimed, “Neither PM Modi nor the state government responded to the issue. Since the BJP management took power in Manipur, the women in the society are at the receiving end and are denied governmental protection.”
