Civil rights activist Irom Sharmila on Sunday described the incident of strip-and-parade of two tribal women in Manipur as brutal and very troubling and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to immediately intervene to address the situation in her home state.
The 'Iron Lady' of Manipur said the state government in Manipur had totally failed. When a state cannot control the situation, why is the Prime Minister silent, she asked. If PM Modi is concerned about the suffering of the people of Manipur, he must intervene and protect the people of Manipur
Sharmila also demanded that Chief Minister N Biren Singh admit his failure and apologise to the people.
"The CM must talk to all 60 MLAs putting aside the differences. He must talk to them one-to-one and consider their opinions and decide how to stop the feeling of hatred between the two communities Meitei and Kuki. That is the need of the hour," she said.
‘Ban on internet has not helped the situation’
Sharmila also felt that the ban on the internet to curb the circulation of fake news and videos in the ethnic violence-hit state of Manipur has not helped the situation in Manipur.
"I do not think this ban on the internet has helped in controlling violence in Manipur. On the contrary, had the internet been working, the victim women could have got justice and the culprits were behind bars," she said.
Prime Minister Modi, who was accused by the Opposition of keeping mum on the Manipur situation for over two months, condemned the incident of parading the two women naked a day after the video surfaced.
‘I could not hold my tears after watching the video clip’
The 51-year-old award-winning activist demanded that the culprits should be awarded life imprisonment with rigorous labour and without parole.
Sharmila said she could not hold her tears after watching the video clip that showed two women being paraded naked and molested by a group of men in Kangpokpi district of the northeastern state on May 4.
The video which surfaced on July 19 sparked condemnation countrywide. Since then, the police have arrested six people.
"It's inhuman and quite a disturbing incident. I could not hold my tears seeing the video I have received. I am deeply pained and shocked," Sharmila said from Bangalore.
Sharmila who hailed from Manipur had been on hunger strike for 16 years demanding repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. She was force-fed by food tubes during that period.
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