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New Delhi: The National Commission for Women (NCW) reportedly knew about cases of sexual violence against women in Manipur for over a month, including the shocking video showing two women being paraded naked by a mob, a report said on Friday.
Citing a complaint filed with NCW which mentioned three cases of sexual abuse against women in Manipur, including the horrific video which has triggered nationwide outrage, India Today reported that the women’s panel allegedly knew about these cases as far back as June 12 when the complaint was filed.
As per the report, the complaint was filed by two activists and the North American Manipur Tribal Association who had spoken to victims of sexual violence in the conflict torn northeastern state. However, the women’s panel allegedly did not take any action nor provided a response to the complaint.
Two activists and the North American Manipur Tribal Association had spoken to survivors of sexual violence before filing the complaint with the NCW. However, they allegedly did not receive any response from the women’s panel.
“We would like to draw your serious and immediate attention to the ongoing ethnic conflict and humanitarian crisis in Manipur. Specifically, we make an urgent appeal to NCW to address and condemn sexual violence against Kuki-Zomi tribal women by Meitei vigilantes in the Manipur conflict,” the complaint filed with NCW read.
Meanwhile, responding to the allegations of inaction, NCW chief Rekha Sharma on Thursday claimed that the women’s panel received several complaints of that nature in the month of June and forwarded them to the state govt. However, the Manipur government did not take any action, she claimed.
Addressing a presser, the NCW chairperson revealed that the women’s panel had received a complaint from a group of women on May 29, prior to the complaint filed the activists. She also claimed that attempts were being made to discredit the women’s panel.
Refuting accusations of inaction, Rekha Sharma on Friday said she reached out to the state authorities in Manipur, thrice in three months, to inquire about reports of violence against women in the north-eastern state, but did not receive any response.
#WATCH | On Manipur viral video and NCW's letter to the state authority, Commission's chief Rekha Sharma says, "…We are in touch with the officers from Manipur…Not one specific but there were many complaints and that too from people outside India and outside Manipur. Firstly,… pic.twitter.com/KZUH4ZmgfV
— ANI (@ANI) July 21, 2023
Sharma also claimed that the NCW did not receive any report of the disturbing video showing women being paraded naked.
The NCW chief said she took suo-moto cognizance of the clip on Friday and has sought action and explanation from Manipur authorities in connection with the incident, adding that she has also spoken to Chief Minister Biren Singh.
Violence-torn Manipur seethed again after a disconcerting video emerged on July 19 showing two women, reportedly belonging to the Kuki-Zo tribe, being paraded naked on the road by a group of men. The purported video was reportedly shot on May 4 and one of the women was allegedly gang-raped in a nearby paddy field.
The video triggered massive nationwide outrage, including from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who promised tough action against the guilty. Four people have been arrested by police, including the main accused Heradas, who is seen wearing a green shirt in the viral video. On Friday, a mob torched Heradas’s house.
Manipur has been witnessing ethnic clashes since May 3 between majority the Meiteis, concentrated in Imphal valley, and the Kukis, occupying the hills. Over 160 people have been killed in the violence so far.
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