Guwahati, July 22: Assam’s Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, has raised questions about the “limited outrage” expressed for the Northeast region concerning a viral video showing the horrific incident of two women being paraded naked in strife-torn Manipur. Sarma pointed out the disparity and questioned why similar “brutal crimes elsewhere” were seemingly ignored by so-called liberals.
In a series of tweets, Sarma shared news reports from various media outlets, shedding light on recent cases of sexual violence against women that occurred in other states, ranging from Rajasthan to West Bengal.
While condemning the dreadful incident in Manipur, Sarma emphasized the clear pattern he observed among the so-called liberals. He stated that the outrage seemed confined to the North East, while equally brutal crimes in other parts of the country received comparatively little attention.
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Among the incidents Sarma brought attention to were the murders of a family of four, including a six-month-old infant, in Jodhpur on July 19th, 2023. He also highlighted the gang-rape of a Dalit minor in front of her boyfriend in Jodhpur on July 16th, 2023.
Furthermore, Sarma pointed out allegations of political violence, like a BJP candidate claiming she was stripped and paraded nude by TMC workers on July 8th, 2023, and a BJP Karyakarta alleging that TMC workers urinated on him after he lost the election on July 13th, 2023.
The incident in Manipur is horrendous and the perpetrators will face the full wrath of law.
Unfortunately, there is a clear pattern among the so called liberals. The outrage is limited to the North East, while they will simply ignore equally brutal crimes elsewhere
A Thread (1/9)— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 21, 2023
The Assam CM further highlighted cases of brutal sexual violence against women, such as the gang-rape of a minor tribal girl by eight individuals in Bihar on June 7th, 2023, and the gang-rape of a tribal woman by ten people in broad daylight on the road in Chaibasa, Jharkhand on October 20th, 2022. Sarma also acknowledged similar incidents occurring within his own state of Assam.
The Manipur video, recorded on May 4 and surfaced on July 19th, depicted two women from warring communities being paraded naked and molested by a mob from the opposing side. The alleged main perpetrator was arrested on July 22nd. The incident triggered widespread condemnation across the nation, and the FIR was filed on June 21st.
Earlier, Himanta Sarma questioned the timing of the video’s release, suspecting political motives behind its leakage a day before the commencement of Parliament’s monsoon session. While acknowledging the gravity of the incident, Sarma stated that incidents of rape were higher in some opposition-ruled states like West Bengal, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh, as compared to BJP-ruled Manipur and other northeastern provinces.
A minor tribal girl was gangraped by 8 people in Bihar on June 7, 2023 (6/9)https://t.co/o1PzFMVP0R
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) July 21, 2023
Despite the alleged political angle to the video’s release, Sarma emphasized that the heinous incident could not be condoned. He called for condemning the perpetrators and ensuring justice, while also cautioning against tarnishing the image of Manipur or the entire Northeast region.
The state of Manipur has been witnessing ethnic violence since May 3rd, following a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ held in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The violence has claimed over 160 lives and left several injured. Meiteis, constituting around 53% of Manipur’s population, reside mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, including Nagas and Kukis, make up 40% and inhabit the hill districts. The situation remains tense and requires careful handling to restore peace and harmony in the region.
