Imphal: Demanding the resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal on Tuesday questioned why the CM could not meet the women who were stripped and paraded, when she could do so.
The central government should ask the chief minister to resign as he does not deserve to remain in that post, the DCW chairperson said. She said, I went to Churachandpur alone, without any security. I met the families of the two women who were stripped, paraded naked and sexually assaulted. If I can meet them, why can't the chief minister? Why can't he go to Churachandpur and other affected places in his bullet-proof car?
Swati Maliwal met family members of the two victims, who were subjected to a horrifying incident of being paraded naked and molested by a mob in Manipur. Maliwal said she went to relief camps in Imphal, Churachandpur and Moirang and found that the condition of those facilities is poor.
The meeting took place between Maliwal and the mother and husband of the two victims. In a tweet in Hindi, the DCW chief said: "I met the families of the two daughters of Manipur, who were brutalised. A girl's husband protected the borders of the country while being a soldier. He told me that till now no one has come to meet him, and I am the first one to reach him. Met the mother of the other girl as well. When I can reach here without security then why hasn't the CM or the rest of the administration come till now?"
She also posted two photos from the meeting. Besides, Churachandpur, Maliwal also travelled to Moirang and Imphal districts where she interacted with displaced people at several relief camps. Sharing her challenging experience during the trip, Maliwal claimed that the state government denied her support to travel to the conflict-hit areas. “These three days have been extremely tough for me. I was denied any support by the government to enter Manipur and yet I came here at great personal risk.
She appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani to come to the state. Manipur is burning. If something is not done right now, it will be difficult to save Manipur, she told reporters after calling on state Governor Anusuiya Uikey.
A viral video from May 4 of two women being paraded naked by a mob in Manipur renewed the national attention on Manipur, where violence broke out nearly three months ago, killing over 160 people since then, and injuring hundreds. The violence erupted on May 3 after 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 mainly in the hill districts. (With agency Inputs)
