In his first remarks regarding the rural northeast’s ethnic skirmishes, which have claimed at least 125 lives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called the alleged sexual assault of women in Manipur state “shameful” and pledged tough action.
Early in May, conflicts broke out, although most of the violence was calmed down quickly.
However, isolated assassinations and violence returned shortly after, and since then, tensions have persisted in the 3.2 million-person state that borders Myanmar. More than 40,000 people have fled their houses, and hundreds of people have been hurt.
After a court ordered the state government to consider extending special economic perks and quotas in public employment and education enjoyed by the tribe members, the violence started on May 3.
On May 3, a court ordered the state government to consider extending special economic incentives and quotas in government jobs and education to the majority Meitei population as well. This is when the violence started.
Speaking a day after images of women being molested in Manipur surfaced and generated widespread outrage, Modi addressed the unrest in the state, which is governed by his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Previously, he had made no public comments regarding the unrest.
Social media videos allege to show two women being paraded naked, attacked, and then subjected to a gang rape, according to the locals in the films.
The videos’ veracity could not be immediately confirmed by Reuters.
Modi concluded his traditional remarks he gives before the beginning of each session of parliament by saying, “My heart is filled with pain, it is filled with anger.” “The Manipur incident that has gained attention is shameful for any civil society,”
“The law will act firmly and firmly with all of its strength. He proclaimed that what occurred to the daughters of Manipur could never be forgotten and encouraged the chief ministers of every state to increase law enforcement.
Biren Singh, the chief minister of Manipur, tweeted shortly after Modi finished his speech to announce that state police had made the first arrest in the case.
“A thorough investigation is currently underway, and we will ensure strict action is taken against all the perpetrators, including considering the possibility of capital punishment,” said Singh, who has been accused of neglecting to address the violence by rights organisations and some of his own BJP MPs.
Singh then revealed to media that the Manipur police had detained two individuals, including the primary suspect. Inquiries into more than thirty guys were being conducted by authorities as they began a case of gang rape.
The two ladies were allegedly assaulted on May 4, according to an initial investigation, but on Wednesday, authorities claimed, recordings of them being drag along by armed men, groped, and displayed naked appeared online.
The photographs severely angered India’s highest court, which demanded that the government brief it on its efforts to catch the criminals and prevent similar occurrences from happening again.
“In a constitutional democracy, it is unacceptable,” declared Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud.
Parliament’s two houses were notified by opposition MPs to hold a hearing on the current unrest in Manipur.
