AIWWF-AITUC Demands apology from PM Modi for inflicting national shame; Appeals people to continue protest

New Delhi: 31st July, 2023: (Kartika Singh/Arth Parkash):: All India Working Women Forum (AIWWF) of AITUC expresses its profound condemnation at the barbaric acts of violence and atrocities on women in the violence torn Manipur. Instances of women stripped naked, brutally assaulted, raped and paraded nude are blood curdling, horrific, brutal, sadistic, terrifying, shocking… all at once. What is all the more petrifying is the loud silence and the apathy of the ‘double engine’ BJP government at the center and state. It is a shame that the Prime Minister is forced to break his silence after the intervention of Supreme Court. Golden silence broke for 20 seconds on the worst crime.

   
The world watches with utter stupefaction of the brutality carried out in the open. Stunning and spine-chilling events unravel after more than 70 days after the FIR was registered. Many more instances of barbaric violence against women are reported to have happened every day since May 4th.  It is a shame that both the state government and the Modi led Central government claim cluelessness. This is criminal ignorance, incredible nescience. All India Working Women Forum of AITUC in unequivocal terms castigates the Modi government for the loss of lives in Manipur and the shame befallen on the nation through the barbaric acts of violence on women. AIWWF-AITUC censures the Modi government for bringing disgrace to the nation. AIWWF-AITUC demands an explanation and unconditional apology of the Prime Minister to the women of India.

The cheap and surreptitious ploy of BJP to create castiest and communal divide in Manipur to reap political dividends has taken hundreds of lives and disgraced the women. India hangs its head down in shame, yet again.  

Violence against women and murdering the family seeking justice is seen as a pattern after BJP came to power. Key witnesses go missing, found dead or turn hostile has become the norm. Victims and witnesses are left with dealing host of false charges. Unnao rape case and elimination of the victim’s father for seeking justice was done to protect the rapist Kuldip Singh Sengar BJP MLA. In Hathras a 19-year-old girl from dalit community was raped and killed by the local leaders of BJP. But FIRs were registered with several charges on those who supported the victims. Inhuman act in the name of communal hatred petrified the world when the 8-year-old Asifa Bano was abducted, drugged, raped and murdered in Kathua. What was more shocking here was that two ministers from BJP had attended the rally in support of the alleged murderers. Kathua, Unnao, Hathras were few instances that tormented the Indian psyche in shame but had left the Prime Minister unmoved and unperturbed.  

Remission of life sentence granted to rapists of Bilkis Bano and shielding Brij Bhushan Saran Singh, the BJP MP accused of sexual harassment by the women wrestlers are the grim reality that mars the Indian conscience. 

This is the gender politics of right-wing nationalism. Casteism and communal hatred, the weapons of division, have gone down the rabbit hole in this country. Women of the working class, women of All India Working Women Forum of AITUC understand the danger that beholds India if BJP continues in power. We pledge to campaign against BJP to defeat it in the 2024 elections.