MANIPUR PUSHED INTO A HIDEOUS ABYSS

Manipur has been burning for weeks now but nothing prepared India for the chilling video of the Kuki women, stripped to the bare bone, being chased and assaulted by a mob. It has sent shivers down the collective spine of the country leading Prime Minister Narendra Modi to finally break his silence on the violence in Manipur and express concern and regret for this heinous act of rape and assault. The issue though is that this rape and attack happened over two months ago, and according to media reports from the state, an FIR had been filed at the time. But it was all apparently brushed under the carpet, although the incident had come to light in the corridors of power through the First Information Report. However it has taken this video over two months later to elicit a response and some action. At the time of writing this, one person from the mob one presumes has been arrested. And the PM has condemned the incident to reporters outside Parliament. How this will proceed further remains to be seen as the policy of the ruling dispensation seems to have been to black out the news, and ensure that the violence in Manipur does not see the light of day. As happens in most conflicts, while some details of the death and destruction manage to escape the barricades of information, the violence against women remains a closely guarded secret and takes time to filter through, if it does at all. The video in wide circulation now raises the moot question : were there more such incidents?

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi visited Manipur, being the only opposition leader to do so, But he was stopped and sufficient hurdles were put in his way to make the trip difficult and almost impossible. A delegation of women from the National Federation of Indian Women visited Manipur on a fact finding mission. They released their report in Delhi and soon after a FIR was filed against them for suggesting that the state was complicit in the continuing violence. Movement within Manipur is restricted, and the internet and information under control.

It is time to stop playing politics. And to douse the fires that are consuming not just the citizens of Manipur, but are threatening to spread to uncontrollable proportions. It is imperative for the authorities to arrest all who were responsible for this heinous act; for the government at the centre to set up an independent and impartial enquiry under a credible Judge; for the Opposition to send a high powered delegation to Manipur to investigate and assuage; for women groups to be allowed to visit Manipur to fact find and bring out more details;for peace groups to be set up to negotiate the return of the Kukis to their homes, the rebuilding of churches, the restoration of life. This is the basic that needs to be done to restore and repair the democratic fabric of India.