Several students held a citizens' protest near Delhi's Jantar Mantar today, July 21, over the violence and atrocities against women in Manipur. The All India Students Association (AISA), Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) and the Revolutionary Youth Association (RYA) were some of the organisations which took part in the agitation.
The protest started at about 3 pm. In a video of the event, a student addresses the gathering and demands an apt response from the Centre on the Manipur issue. "The Prime Minister has been on foreign tours and diplomatic missions. He has been campaigning for elections in different states, but nowhere has he felt it important to mention the violence and atrocities that are going on in Manipur," she is heard saying.
The student goes on to say that even Manipur Chief Minister Biren Singh shares a major part of the blame, as he is unable to cull the violence. The girl further alleges that instead of taking action, CM Singh calls the people of the state "outsiders" and "tribals".
The gathered students discussed that though women were paraded naked and raped in the Northeastern state in the wake of the ethnic violence in May and FIRs were registered, no action was taken. "Only when the videos of the incidents went viral four days ago and there was a public outrage, the government decided to address the issue," the student states.
She adds that all those present at the spot condemn such "opportunism and political tactics" of the government. The students also demanded the resignation of CM Biren Singh and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
