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‘Heartbroken, outraged’: Mamata Banerjee on viral video of Manipur women disrobed, sexually assaulted by mob
In a Twitter post, Banerjee said, “Heartbroken and outraged to witness horrific video from Manipur showing the brutal treatment of two women by a frenzied mob.”
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday, condemning the viral video of two Kuki women being paraded naked, said that she was “heartbroken and outraged”.
In a Twitter post, Banerjee said, “Heartbroken and outraged to witness the horrific video from Manipur showing the brutal treatment of two women by a frenzied mob.”
Calling the violence being inflicted on marginalised women in Manipur an “act of barbarism”, Banerjee said that it was against humanity.
“No words can express the pain and anguish of witnessing the violence inflicted on marginalized women. This act of barbarism is beyond comprehension and humanity. We must stand united in condemning such inhumane actions by the miscreants & bring justice to the victims.”
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Banerjee said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi equated Manipur to West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan adding that “he broke the country”.
She said, “To counter us, if issues and voices are suppressed, we can't see it happening. This government does a lot of things... but look at the treatment of minorities, women, Dalits.”
Further, Banerjee took a jibe at PM Modi saying that when he visits abroad, he often says ‘ours is the biggest democracy, India for all’, but she claimed that it wasn't true.
Saying that she still hasn't received the permission to visit Manipur, Banerjee added, “You (BJP) are only for one-party rule...India stands for Manipur. I have asked for permission to visit Manipur but haven't received it. Some of the CMs of different states want to visit Manipur.”
Manipur Police on Wednesday night said that the police were making all the efforts to arrest the culprits. They added that the women were paraded naked by “unknown armed miscreants” and the incident took place on May 4, 2023. The police also said that “a case of abduction, gangrape and murder was registered at Nongpok Sekmai PS (Thoubal District) against unknown armed miscreants and the investigation has been started”.
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Several political parties and politicans have asked for strict action to be taken against the mob who filmed and harassed the two Kuki women. The Central government and the National Commission for Women (NCW) have directed Twitter India to remove the video which showed the women being paraded.
Ruckus ensued on first day of Parliament's monsoon session over the violence in Manipur, forcing adjournments of both houses. Several opposition leaders were heard shouting slogans like ‘Manipur Manipur’ and ‘Manipur is burning’.
Manipur CM N Brien Singh on viral video
Chief minister N Biren Singh on Thursday condemned the incident, terming it a crime against humanity. Singh expressed deep sadness over the incident and remarked that those responsible for such an atrocity cannot be considered humans, as such acts are unimaginable for any civilised human being to commit.
He said the main culprit in the incident was arrested around 1.30 am last night. “…this is a crime against humanity…cannot be commit by any human being….we immediately took cognisance of the matter and made efforts to catch the culprits at earliest…," he said, while speaking to news agency ANI.
Viral video of two women being paraded in Manipur
The horrific viral video of Kuki women disrobed and sexually assaulted by an armed mob of 800-1,000 miscreants on May 4 has sparked massive outrage across the country. The incident had taken place in B Phainom village on May 4.
The alleged main culprit Huirem Herodas Meitei, 32, hailing from Pechi Awang Leikai, was arrested early morning on Thursday in an operation by the Manipur Police.
A Manipur Police officer has told HT that more people will be arrested in the coming hours. The officer, who wished not to be named, added that sections of rape and murder had been added to the FIR filed.
Manipur violence
Over 150 people have died and another 40,000 have been displaced since violence between the tribal Kukis and the Meiteis, the dominant community in Imphal Valley, erupted on May 3.
The violence in Manipur was triggered during a protest against a court order for granting scheduled tribe status to Meities. The authorities later imposed a curfew and banned the internet.
