Mobilenews24x7 Bureau
Tucking women to the ignominy of sexual harassment and violence is not new, as we delve deeper into the history of few decades the realities are so revealing.
It has been going on, as if in this part of the North east hilly regions as an inglorious practice of male domination.
And, sadly, in the eyes of the Centre and the respective state governments as if the issue has been pushed to get a second fiddle.
A case in record lies in the recent times when in July 2004 a woman in her early 30s was forcefully taken from her home by the Assam Rifles. The day next was a soul stirring account came as the body of the woman was discovered dead with several bullet injuries.
Conjectures could be that, she had been made naked, raped and later murdered to mitigate any evidence.
The incident had taken place in Manipur’s Laipharok Maring.
Shamefully, may be, later the Assam Rifles rather reported to have claimed that, since she was a member of the People’s Liberation Army(PLA) which had its guns pointed at the security forces.
So the then law mandated that such people were to be eliminated for which the Assam Rifles(AR) had to act like that as empowered by the ‘draconian’ Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) then in force in Manipur.
Another report showed that, the woman in question was PLA militant from 1995 and an IED expert. So finished her in that inglorious manner.
The report said that the Act empowered the Indian Army to arrest without warrant, to shoot and kill on suspicion, and to confiscate and destroy property in ‘disturbed areas’.
But what about stripping, raping and killing all together was something probably no law on earth can sanction even if she was so as described by the AR.
Can any Army be above all laws and enjoy immunity for any such horrible act.
What has changed since then? Not much as regards sexual abuse of women.
What is today in 2023? The dastardly acts are being in practice with equal impunity. What happened in May last.
The video was one of the most glaring example of atrocity on women in Manipur how violence has played out with utter ease and disregard for any law of the land.
Sordid that the eyes of the state administration and at the centre took over months until the dreary video surfaced triggering a massive outrage and God help our law keepers.
FIR was in files and the conscience of the politicians was in deep slumber.
Not now alone even in 2004 incident it took a long time for the Centre to take note of the incident when in July 2004, 12 middle-aged women or ‘Imas’ (which translates as ‘mothers’ in Meitei) took off their clothes at the gate of Imphal’s Kangla Fort cantonment, where Assam Rifles was then stationed.
With the banners of protest in the hands partially covering their naked bodies, that said “Indian Army, Take Our Flesh.” It is ironic that these 12 women were actually jailed for months after their protest, a report said.
These all make poor reading as in any of the above acts the Assam Rifles refused to be a party as required by the law.
Now in 2023 everything has come out clear and the youngest survivor has alleged that her father and brother were killed by the same mob that assaulted and stripped her. So the charges here are grave – ranging from murder to gang rape.
Thanks that the apex court has taken suo moto cognisance now and the dozing politicians in the Centre and the state have called for action. .
