Delhi women panel chief Swati Maliwal meets families of women stripped, paraded in Manipur
New Delhi, July 25
The two women paraded naked in Manipur are yet to receive any counselling or compensation from the state and are in deep trauma, DCW chief Swati Maliwal, who met the families of the two survivors, said on Tuesday while slamming the state government for the violence.
Maliwal, who is on a tour of the northeastern state, said she was informed by the families that neither the state chief minister, nor any cabinet minister, nor a senior officer from the state bothered to meet the DCW members.
मणिपुर की जिन दो बेटियों के साथ बर्बरता की गई मैं उनके परिवारों से मिली। एक लड़की के पति ने फौजी रहते हुए देश की सीमाओं की रक्षा करी। उन्होंने मुझे बोला कि अब तक उनसे मिलने तक कोई नहीं आया है, मैं उनके पास पहुँचने वाली पहली हूँ। दूसरी लड़की की माँ से भी मुलाक़ात हुई। जब मैं यहाँ… pic.twitter.com/2YwNNqR5Uh
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) July 25, 2023
Maliwal along with member Vandana Singh travelled to Churachandpur in Manipur on Monday and met the mother and husband of the sexual assault survivors whose assault video had gone viral, the Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) said in a statement.
She travelled to Churachandpur, Moirang and Imphal districts and visited relief camps and interacted with the survivors of violence.
मोइरांग के रिलीफ कैम्प में रह रहे लोगों से मुलाक़ात की। इस कैम्प में महिलाएँ और बच्चे भी हैं। लोग बेहद मुश्किल हालातों में यहाँ रह रहे हैं। अब तक सीएम इनसे मिलने नहीं आए। #Manipur pic.twitter.com/VOzQ95JzxG
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) July 25, 2023
The panel alleged that the Manipur government did not extend any support to Maliwal to travel there or meet with the survivors of violence.
Maliwal met the mother and husband of the two victims who had been paraded naked, molested and one of them was gangraped. The mother of the woman who was gangraped also lost her husband and son who were trying to save the victim from the sexual assault, the statement said.
मणिपुर में जिस बेटी के साथ दुष्कर्म हुआ उनके पति से मिली। उन्होंने देश के लिए कारगिल का युद्ध लड़ा।उन्होंने मुझे बोला कि आप पहली हो जहां यहाँ हमसे मिलने आई। उन्होंने बोला कि “दिल्ली महिला आयोग हिम्मत और मोहब्बत से यहाँ इन मुश्किल हालातों में हमारे पास आया”…. मेरी अपील है… pic.twitter.com/D5NOjTbK9D
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) July 25, 2023
The husband of the woman, who was paraded naked and molested, had fought for the country in the Kargil war, it said.
They informed that the victims are in deep trauma and are constantly reliving the horrific moments.
“The survivors are yet to get any counselling, legal aid, or compensation from the government so far. They were angry that no action has been taken against any police officer in their case,” the panel alleged.
मणिपुर की बर्बरता की पीड़ित बेटियों के परिवार से मिली… इनके ये आंसू बहुत दिन तक सोने नहीं देंगे। अब तक इनसे कोई मिलने तक नहीं आया: दिल्ली महिला आयोग अध्यक्षा @SwatiJaiHind pic.twitter.com/D6wt2CwJku
— Delhi Commission for Women – DCW (@DCWDelhi) July 25, 2023
Maliwal also interacted with other women in the state affected by violence.
At the Churachandpur relief camp, she met a 70-year-old woman hailing from Langchink village whose only son was killed in the violence.
Maliwal also met a 34-year-old woman who had just delivered a girl in Imphal when a mob surrounded her. Her husband and brother-in-law were killed and she somehow managed to escape with the baby.
In Imphal, several women affected with violence approached Maliwal.
Talking about her visit, the DCW chief alleged she did not receive any support from the government to enter Manipur and went there at great personal risk.
“The viral video shook me to the core and I wanted to meet the survivors at all cost. I was informed by locals that it is very difficult to travel Churachandpur to meet the families of the survivors. Yet I decided to go there without any security amidst heavy firing. Somehow, I managed to meet them,” she said.
The survivors of the violence went through the worst hell imaginable and it is deeply distressing to know that neither the chief minister nor any government functionary has meet them, she alleged.
“The violence in Manipur is extremely troubling and everywhere I am going, there are horror stories which are mind-numbing. People have lost their homes and loved ones and the government has completely failed in protecting them. I think that the Centre should urgently seek the resignation of the Manipur chief minister,” she said.
She reiterated her demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should visit Manipur along with Home Minister Amit Shah and WCD Minister Smriti Irani urgently.
