In response to the distressing incident of two women being paraded naked in strife-torn Manipur, the opposition bloc INDIA has declared plans to stage statewide protests in Jharkhand on August 1. During the alliance's state-level meeting held at Congress Bhavan, Jharkhand, the decision to oppose the assault on women in Manipur and demand President's Rule in the northeastern state was unanimously taken.
State Congress chief Rajesh Thakur, presiding over the meeting, expressed strong condemnation for the incident and announced the alliance's demonstration near Raj Bhavan in Ranchi, as well as in collectorates across the state, to protest against the appalling act against women in Manipur. Additionally, the alliance will submit a memorandum to the President through the Jharkhand governor, urging an immediate imposition of President's Rule in the state, as reported by PTI.
Thakur accused the "double-engine governments at the Centre and Manipur" of failing to prevent crimes against women in the northeastern state, leading the INDIA alliance to demand swift action and protection for the women of Manipur.
The meeting was attended by prominent leaders, including Parliamentary Affairs Minister Alamgir Alam, senior Congress leader Bandhu Tirkey, Rajya Sabha MP from JMM Vijay Hansda, senior JMM leader Vinod Kumar Pandey, Jharkhand JD (U) president Khiru Mahto, RJD's Rajesh Yadav, CPI's Ajay Singh, and Janaradan Singh from CPI (ML).
The incident in Manipur, where two women were paraded naked by a mob after a video surfaced on July 19, has raised tension in the hills of the northeastern state. In response to the alleged sexual assault on the two women, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the investigation.
Moreover, the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur dates back to May 3 when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organized in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. Since then, the violence has claimed over 160 lives and caused injuries to several others. Meiteis, constituting about 53 per cent of Manipur's population, primarily reside in the Imphal valley, while tribals, including Nagas and Kukis, account for 40 per cent and predominantly inhabit the hill districts.
