Never do Indians tire patting their own back, for they make up a nation that is hailed for worshipping women. Ironically enough, the same women in India have been paying a huge price for being worshiped. Their identity as women is erroneously and inalienably tied to their chastity and virginity. What should have been individual traits and preferences have been turned into societal attributes. By prescribing sacred standards to womanhood, the patriarchal Indian society has turned women into objects of social and communal relevance — subjecting their individuality and sexuality to unwarranted social, religious and ethnic authorities. When religious or ethnic groups confront with their perceived rivals, women are made convenient targets. Thanks to the imposition of carrying the burden of social and ethnic sanctity, women are assaulted first as a ‘vulnerable spot’ to launch a provocation or revenge against rival factions. The surfacing of cases of sexual assault and public parading of women in Manipur is a textbook example of this deep-rooted practice. Following the horrific video of three women of the Kuki community being paraded naked on the streets, other shocking accounts of similar incidents have also come to the fore. All the reported incidents have certain common links. Victims have indicated the perpetration of crime by men wearing black clothes and bearing certain logos on their outlook. This raises the possibility of the attacks being well organised and targeted. The alleged ethnic targeting of women in Manipur represents a new low in the history of treatment of women in India over centuries. However, it might be a folly to see the spate of shameful incidents merely through the prism of ethnic vengeance. Beneath the garb of ethnicity, it is many men’s vile instinct of satiating lust that has found expression in turbulent Manipur society. It is the lowest trait of male character that has found opportunity to raise its head — undoing all the refinement and polishing humanity has gone through, as it moved away from the wild. Such horrors keep emanating, as humans occasionally keep revisiting the wild nature they once possessed. It happened under Hitler. It happened during Napoleon’s ambitious bid for geographical expansion, under the garb of heralding progressiveness in Europe. It is happening now where it should not have been — India, the genuineness of whose civilisation has withstood the ravages of time, and whose Constitutional-moral values are still counted among its most precious assets. One needs not hesitate in saying that India’s character is made to undergo an unprecedented decline by those who are trusted to guard and maintain it. Their complicity is evident by their conspicuous silence. The silence not just of the police, the state government, and the Central government, but also of the Supreme Court, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and others. They have spoken too late, too little. The NHRC, in over last two months, has issued public statements and even taken suo motu cognisance of cases related to human rights violation in several other states, but not in Manipur. The Indian Prime Minister is also being criticised for having maintained complete silence on the Manipur situation for around 80 days. The Supreme Court has lately expressed its grief and shock over the rape and parading of Manipur women. However, being the guardian of the fundamental rights, much more is expected from the apex court. The Central and state governments, the apex court, the NHRC, the journalistic fraternity and the people in general understand the gravity and complexity of the situation in Manipur. It is unfortunate that targeted crimes against Manipuri women is being seen as a fallout of a ‘larger’ crisis that continues to plague the state. There is a pressing need to untie the incidents of crimes against women from the narrative and politics of the Manipur conflict. By relating atrocities against Manipuri women to the conflict between Meiteis and Kukis, we are only validating the social and ethnic objectification of female body. If at all any will to learn lessons from Manipur is left within us, we should all see the horrific incidents as organised crimes committed against individuals, and ensure strictest possible punishment for the perpetrators. Public accountability of all concerned authorities who failed in their duties to act or speak should be ensured. And most importantly, India should stop worshiping women by imposing high standards of chastity and morality on them. There is a need to respect them for what they are and what they wish to become or do. Only then can their sexuality and dignity stop being targets of malicious groups.