Manipur incident evokes strong protests in pilgrim city

Tirupati: Condemning the heinous incident of parading women naked and sexually assaulting on them in Manipur, which shocked the entire nation, various organisations staged protests in the pilgrim city on Friday. The protesters demanded the dismissal of the BJP-led government in Manipur holding it solely responsible for the barbaric incident and sought a public apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his failure to stop violence in Manipur and protect the lives of people.

CPI and its allied organisations including NFIW (National Federation of Indian Women), AISF (All India Students Federation), All India Youth Federation (AIYF), AITUC and DHPS (Dalitha Hakkula Porata Samithi) jointly took out a candle light rally led by CPI state executive member Chinnam Penchalaiah, condemning the most in human incident in Manipur where three women were paraded naked by a frenzied mob and sexually assaulted them in broad daylight while the police remain silent. Speaking on the occasion, Penchalaih slammed Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for miserably failing to stop the ethnic violence in Manipur which claimed hundreds of lives, massive destruction of properties and displaced thousands of people.

Mahila Samakhya district secretary Nadia, AITUC district secretary Radhakrishnan demanded the hanging of those involved in the incident and warned of nationwide intense movement if the government failed to contain violence and killings in Manipur.

Mahila Samakhya state president V Jayalakshmi, AIYG district president Ramakrishna, AISF leader Navin and others were present. Meanwhile All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) activists led by its district secretary Penumur Sailakshmi staged a protest, condemning the Manipur incident. Sailakshmi said the incidents of violence against women increased in BJP ruled state but the Central government led by Modi failed to check the atrocities on women and reminded the prolonged struggle of women wrestlers against the sexual harassment of women wrestlers.

Congress leader P Navin Kumar Reddy in a statement condemned the Manipur incident and sought strong measures on the part of the Centre to end the violence in the state, save lives and restore normalcy for the people who fled away to return home.