New Delhi/Imphal: India on Thursday witnessed unprecedented outrage after a video showing two women of the Kuki-Zomi community of Manipur being paraded naked by a mob led by men in violence-hit Manipur surfaced on social media Wednesday.
The video is said to be two-month-old and it was confirmed later that the victims were stripped and paraded naked and later, gang-raped by the men. A police official stated that the nerve-wracking incident happened on May 4. One of the victims was a 19-year-old.
The shocking video shamed the entire nation, compelling the Chief Justice of India to direct the Narendra Modi-led government to take immediate action or the apex court in itself will do soemthing.
In the video that has triggered massive condemnation across India, two women were paraded naked by a mob, molested, and dragged to a field, where they were allegedly gang-raped.
The incident took place on May 4 in Kangpokpi district, some 35 km from the state capital Imphal, according to a statement by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF).
Manipur police meanwhile arrested the key accused, Heradas (32), from Thoubal district with the help of the video in which he was seen wearing a green T-shirt.
Shocked by the brutal incident, Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud urged the government to take action.
Terming it "simply unacceptable", a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud directed the Centre and the state government to take immediate steps and apprise the apex court on what action has been taken.
"We will give a little time to the government to act otherwise we will take action if nothing is happening on the ground," the bench, also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra, said Thursday. "If the government does not act, we will", the Chief Justice of India said. "It is time the government really steps in and takes action. It's simply unacceptable in constitutional democracy. It's deeply disturbing. Using women as an instrument in an area of communal strife. It’s the grossest of constitutional abuse," CJI Chandrachud said.
"We will give a little time to the government to act otherwise we will take action if nothing is happening on the ground," the bench, also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra, said Thursday.
"If the government does not act, we will", the Chief Justice of India said.
"It is time the government really steps in and takes action. It's simply unacceptable in constitutional democracy. It's deeply disturbing. Using women as an instrument in an area of communal strife. It’s the grossest of constitutional abuse," CJI Chandrachud said.
"Let the centre and the state apprise us or steps will be taken. We will take this matter on July 28," the CJI said.
After the Supreme Court of India's stern warning, Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was maintaining silence even as Manipur is burning since May 3, 2023, finally spoke and said the "law will act with its full might" and the guilty won't be spared.
PM Modi, in his first remarks on Manipur since ethnic violence broke out in the state over two months ago, said that the incident of women being paraded naked in Manipur had shamed 140 crore Indians and "can never be forgiven".
"My heart is full of pain and anger. The incident in Manipur that has come to light is shameful for any civil society," Modi said during his customary address ahead of the Parliament's Monsoon Session.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah meanwhile dialled Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and directed him to take strict action against those involved in the incident.
Amit Shah asked Singh to take possible steps to nab all those involved in the incident and take appropriate actions as per law, PTI reported quoting sources.
Biren Singh later said his government is considering capital punishment for the culprits.
"We will ensure strict action is taken against all the perpetrators, including considering the possibility of capital punishment", he said.
"It's a crime against humanity. The state govt will try to ensure capital punishment for the accused," he told news agency ANI.
The Opposition demanded that an all party delegation must be sent to Manipur without any delay.
Slamming the Centre, Congress Party Chief Mallikarjun Kharge accused the Narendra Modi government of turning democracy into "mobocracy".
Congress's Rahul Gandhi squarely blamed the Prime Minister for the situation in Manipur, which has been witnessing ethnic violence since May 3.
"PM’s silence and inaction has led Manipur into anarchy. INDIA will not stay silent while the idea of India is being attacked in Manipur", he said. "We stand with the people of Manipur. Peace is the only way forward", he added.
"PM’s silence and inaction has led Manipur into anarchy. INDIA will not stay silent while the idea of India is being attacked in Manipur", he said.
"We stand with the people of Manipur. Peace is the only way forward", he added.
The northeastern state has been gripped by ethnic clashes – primarily between the tribal Kukis, which mostly reside in the hill districts, and majority Meiteis, the dominant community in Imphal Valley since May 3.
The Christian leaders have claimed that hundreds of churches have been torched or destroyed in the ongoing violence.
The ethnic violence on Manipur has also been slammed and condemned by the European Parliament that directly blamed the ruling BJP for the unrest.
The BJP leaders have earlier been seen in celebrating and garlanding the rapists and molesters hailing from Gujarat.
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