New Delhi: Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal, accompanied by DCW member Vandana Singh, visited Churachandpur area in violence-hit Manipur on Tuesday to meet the survivors of the brutal sexual assault.
Maliwal’s trip aims to assess the situation of Manipuri women and girls affected by the ongoing turmoil.
Expressing their grievances, the families revealed that no government officials, including the Chief Minister, Cabinet Ministers, or senior officers from the state, had met them until Maliwal’s visit.
They also expressed frustration over the lack of counselling, legal aid, and compensation from the government. Furthermore, they demanded accountability for the police
officers involved in their case, as no action had been taken against them.
Maliwal also visited various relief camps and met with other women affected by the violence.
The heart-wrenching stories she encountered painted a grim picture of the situation in Manipur. A 70-year-old woman from Langchink village narrated how her only son was killed in front of her during the firing, leaving her with no family and several health issues due to the trauma.
In another encounter, a 34-year-old woman, who had just given birth to a baby girl in Imphal, shared her horrifying experience of escaping from a mob that took the lives of her husband and brother-in-law. The survivors in relief camps in Moirang also voiced their disappointment at not receiving visits from the Chief Minister and expressed their struggles to meet basic needs.
Various women affected by violence have approached Maliwal in Imphal, sharing their distressing ordeal and seeking help. One woman reported that her house was burned down, and her husband went missing while trying to find food from the village granaries. Despite filing an FIR, the police had taken no action.
The DCW chief stated, “These three days have been extremely tough for me. The viral video shook me to the core, and I wanted to meet the survivors at all costs. The violence in Manipur is deeply distressing, and the government has completely failed in protecting its people. Urgent steps should be taken by the Centre to protect them.”
Maliwal also called for the resignation of the Manipur Chief Minister and urged the Prime Minister to visit Manipur with the Union Home Minister and Union Minister for Women and Child Development to address the pressing issues faced by the affected communities.
“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. The Prime Minister should visit Manipur with the Home Minister and WCD minister urgently. Urgent steps should be taken by the Centre to protect them,” she added.