Reacting to the heart-wrenching and disturbing video depicting the torture of women in Manipur amidst ongoing violence in the state, AAP senior leader Ms. Atishi strongly criticized the BJP-led central government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for their negligence and inaction towards this grave issue. During a press conference on Thursday, she expressed her dismay and said, “While Manipur was burning in violence, people were being attacked and women were being raped, Prime Minister Narendra Modi prioritized his world tour over addressing the pressing situation in the country. Amidst brutal acts of torture and rape against women in Manipur, the PM found time to visit other countries, but not Manipur. He and his government are solely responsible for this alarming situation in Manipur, and PM Modi must answer to these two women from Manipur and daughters across the entire nation for such a situation. Incidents of violence against women and heinous rapes repeating in the country, is it not the PM’s responsibility to stop them?”. She added that the BJP was least bothered by such violence against women in the country because the party itself has many alleged rapists from top to bottom.
Ms. Atishi further said, “A video has emerged from Manipur in front of the whole country. This video is not only painful, horrific but also heart-wrenching. The whole country saw how two women in Manipur were stripped and paraded by a mob and tortured. These women in the video were treated in such a way that no one would ever treat animals. Yet, the BJP in power did not take any action.”
She added that one of the two women in the video told the local media that when her family was killed and she was dragged and raped, the police were present there but failed to take any action. “Today, I want to ask BJP leaders: What will you reply to these women of Manipur? I want to ask PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, what will you answer to these women and other women in the country in this situation?,” questioned Ms. Atishi.
Ms. Atishi stated, “Violence like this has been going on in Manipur since May 3. People are being killed, families are being attacked, and women are being raped, but the country’s Prime Minister is busy with his world tour. While Manipur was burning with violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi went to Japan on May 19. As the violence and rapes in Manipur continued, the PM went to Papua New Guinea on May 21 because, for him, it seemed more important. On May 22, the PM went to Australia, followed by the United States on June 20, Egypt on June 24, France on July 13, and UAE on July 15. But, PM Narendra Modi did not find time to visit Manipur. Ever since the violence started, PM had had time to visit 7 countries across the world but not Manipur.”
Ms. Atishi added, “A delegation from Manipur waited for 10 days to meet the Prime Minister, but he went on his world tour and did not meet them. Today, I want to ask the PM if this heart-wrenching violence is happening with the daughters of this nation, is it not his responsibility to stop them? What were you, your Home Minister, and Manipur CM doing? Why has Biren Singh, CM of Manipur, not resigned yet? Why has the PM not visited Manipur yet?”
“This shows that the BJP is not concerned about violence against women at all. They themselves have a long list of alleged rapists in their party. Be it Kuldeep Singh Sengar, Gujarat Rural Development Minister Arjun Singh Chauhan, MP BJP leader Kishan Rai’s son Dhruv Rai, Brij Bhushan Singh, or Shanti Lal Solanki. In the BJP, from top to bottom, there are people who have faced allegations of misbehaving with women and perpetrating violence against them. This might be the reason why the BJP is not perceived to be concerned about the violence happening with women in Manipur”, stated Ms. Atishi.
Ms Atishi continued, “Today, PM and the government is saying that culprits will be arrested, but where were they when Manipur was burning since May 3, and the local media was continuously reporting about rapes and violence? Today, on behalf of all daughters of this country, I would like to say to PM Modi that they will have to answer to the daughters of this country. For this particular incident, only PM Narendra Modi is responsible. The central government took action for the namesake when the video went viral and people started asking questions. If they had intentions, they would have acted earlier, a month ago.”
