Several Social and Progressive Organisations join hands to protest against Manipur violence in Shimla

A number of Social and civil society organizations including Janwadi Mahila Samiti, CITU, Himachal Kisan Sabha, SFI, DYFI, Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch, and Young Women Christian Association organized a vigorous demonstration at DC office Shimla demanding intervention and immediate action on Manipur violence.  

Hundreds of people especially women participated in the demonstration and also submitted a memorandum to the President of India Draupadi Murmu through deputy commissioner Shimla later on. 

The demonstration was addressed by former CPI(M) MLA Rakesh Singha, AIDWA General Secretary Falma Chauhan, CITU General Secretary Vijender Mehra, Jagat Ram, Satyawan Pundir, Ritu Sharma, Sarita Thakur and Balak Ram.  

Mr Singha said that unbridled violence is continuing in Manipur for the last 86 days.  Hundreds of people have lost their lives in this violence.  70,000 people have been rendered homeless after being affected by the violence. 

 “All these people are forced to live in relief camps.  State  Chief Minister N Biren Singh has failed to ensure law and order and control the situation is becoming dire day by day.  

Incidents of sexual exploitation and rape of women, and girls have become common in the state.

Recently, the incident of gang rape of two women by stripping them naked, which went viral on social media on May 4, 2023, has ashamed the country and civilized society.  

Mr Singha said that this was a very shameful incident in any democratic system and the BJP government of the state has been continuously trying to hide such incidents and has been giving silent support to the culprits. 

 The situation in Manipur is continuously deteriorating due to the inefficiency and discriminatory functioning of the government.

  It is surprising that the Prime Minister of the country remained silent for three months on such incidents of violence and rape.  When the video of two women being raped and stripped went viral, the Prime Minister while addressing the media showed insensitivity and tried to divert attention from the whole issue by raising the issues of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.  

Organizations maintained that PM’s statement was completely irresponsible and he made sensitive issues like rape, mass murders, and incidents of violence in the country a victim of politics.

 Mr. Singha said that this couldn’t be acceptable to the citizens in any democratic system as the functioning of State Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Home Minister Amit Shah has been under suspicion in the Manipur violence.  

Due to their incompetence, partiality, and discriminatory functioning, the people of Manipur and the country have completely lost faith in the state government of Manipur and the central government. 

 He has demanded from  President that the violence in Manipur should be stopped immediately.  Communal harmony should be maintained in Manipur.  Peace should be restored immediately in Manipur.  

Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah should be immediately removed from their posts because of their incompetent, discriminatory, and partisan functioning. 

 Harassment of women, rape, and sexual exploitation should be stopped in Manipur.  Better facilities should be made available to the homeless people in the relief camps and concrete measures should be taken to take them to their native places as soon as possible.  

Strict action should be taken against those responsible for violence, rape, and mass murders they should be arrested immediately.  

The cases against them should be tried in the fast-track court and strict punishment should be ensured for them and appropriate relief should be provided to the victims of violence and rape incidents.

Among those who participated in the protest were CPI(M) state secretary Dr. Onkar Shad, Himachal Pradesh Kisan Sabha President Dr. Kuldeep Tanwar, Former Mayor Sanjay Chauhan,  Young Women Christian Association President Vidhupriya Chakraborty, General Secretary Rohini Singh, Vice President Shefali Bhardwaj, Subidha Devi, Louisa Ling, Renu Sara, Seema, Anuradha, Raman Tharta, Amit Kumar, Sonia Sabarwal, Jayashiv Thakur, Dr. Rajendra Chauhan, Sanjeev Khajuria, Dalip Singh and Ramprakash, etc.