Indian Prime Minister Addresses Disturbing Video and Ethnic Conflict in Manipur

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has broken his silence on the deadly ethnic conflict in Manipur after a video emerged showing women being stripped naked, paraded, and assaulted, followed by allegations of gang rape. The footage caused outrage across India as it showed two women from the Kuki tribe being forcibly stripped by a mob from the Meitei tribal group. The perpetrators threatened to kill them if they didn't comply. The women were then groped and taken to a field where it's alleged they were gang-raped.

The incident occurred in early May and was reported to the police, but arrests were only made after the video went viral, drawing national attention to the situation. One victim claimed that the police had left them in the hands of the violent mob.

Modi addressed the conflict during the opening session of parliament, condemning the attack and assuring the nation that those responsible would be brought to justice. However, he faced criticism for his earlier silence on the conflict, which has claimed over 140 lives, primarily from the Kuki community. The state of Manipur is now deeply divided along ethnic lines, with the Meitei community in the valley and the Kuki community controlling the hills. Both sides have formed civilian forces, leading to violent clashes and displacing over 60,000 people. The Kuki minority is now demanding an independent state.

Victim's Story

One of the victims in the video shared her traumatic experience, explaining how they were running away from their village after it was looted and set on fire by a Meitei mob. They were then attacked by another Meitei gang, resulting in the murder of two members of their group. The victim described how they were forced to remove their clothes and were paraded while being subjected to groping and other assaults. The women were then taken to a nearby field where the alleged gang rape took place.

The video received strong condemnation from the Supreme Court, describing it as deeply disturbing and highlighting a gross failure of constitutional responsibility. Chief Justice Dhananjaya Chandrachud criticized the government's inability to control the situation and called for immediate action. Smriti Irani, the Minister for Women, also condemned the incident as inhuman and promised that the perpetrators would face justice.

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Activists expressed frustration that it took such a graphic video to bring attention to the situation in Manipur and prompt a response from the prime minister and the public. They had been raising concerns about the conflict for over 70 days, but it was only the viral video that shook the conscience of the nation. The incident has brought to light the severity of the ongoing conflict and the urgent need for action and justice for the victims.