India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI—Welcoming the Supreme Court’s suo motu action against the barbaric incident of parading naked and gang-rape of two women and murder of the brother of the gang-rape victim who sought to save her from the clutches of the criminals in B Phainom village in Kangpokpi district of Manipur on May 4, the Rights and Risks Analysis Group (RRAG) has said that the Government of India, instead of taking action against the war criminals, was shooting at the messenger, that is, Twitter.
In a statement after the Supreme Court’s direction in the case, RRAG director Suhas Chakma said that the truth would have never come out had the Twitter not shared the shocking video.
A bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said,“We are very deeply disturbed by the videos which have emerged yesterday about the two women who were paraded in Manipur. We are expressing our deep concern. It is time that the government really steps in and takes action. This is simply unacceptable”.
“Using women as instrument in an area of communal strife to inflict gender violence is deeply deeply disturbing. This is the grossest of human rights violations,” CJI said.
“The Government of India instead of taking action against the war criminals is shooting at the messenger i.e. Twitter where egregious videos were shared. Without Twitter, the truth would have never come out, and no law and order problem has been created by these videos which forced Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak for the first time on Manipur in the last 77 days of riots,” said Mr. Chakma.
Though the FIR was lodged on May 4, 2023, only around 11 pm on July 19, 2023 the Manipur Police tweeted that “All-out effort to arrest culprits as regard to the viral video of 02 (two) women paraded naked and on 4th May, 2023, a case of abduction, gang rape and murder etc was registered at Nongpok Sekmai PS (Thoubal District) against unknown armed miscreants and investigation has been started.”
“In the light of the admitted inaction of the Manipur Police in the 76 days (two and half months), no fair investigation can be expected from the Manipur Police and its tweets are merely to assuage the outrage expressed across the country against the savage incident and not to establish accountability for the war crimes committed. Furthermore, this barbaric incident has not been referred to any other agency for investigation,” stated Mr Chakma.
“The faith in the rule of law has collapsed because of the inaction in the last 76 days on this particular savage incident and other violations of international humanitarian laws, silence of the Union of India including the Prime Minister till this incident and no update from both the CBI and the Judicial Commission of Inquiry headed by Justice (Retd) Ajay Lamba regarding the progress of the investigations. In the light of the registration of the suo motu case by the Supreme Court, there is no justification for the continuation of the Chief Minister N Biren Singh,” Mr Chakma pointed out.
A shocking video of two naked women belonging to the Kuki Christian community being paraded by unidentified armed men was circulated on the internet. One of the women captured by the armed mob was gang-raped. The incident happened on May 4, a day after a violence broke out between Hindu Meities community and Christian Kuki community. The violence began after the Manipur High court order accorded the Hindu Meitie community the status of Scheduled Tribe. Kukis, who are scheduled tribe, opposed the order as they felt that Meities who are the majority community in Manipur would encroach on their land and privileges after getting ST status.
It is a shame on the prime minister that he had been silent spectator on the Manipur violence for a fairly long time. It proves he is concerned with his chair and the privileges attached to the chair and nothing else. How insensitive he is, is proved by his utter inaction on the matter. Now that recent incidence of naked parading and rape of two women has come out, out of fear of international reactions he has opened his mouth. Really very shameful.