After a three-day visit to Manipur, Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader Brinda Karat, who submitted a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu on Friday, August 18th, raised the issues of the precarious condition of relief camps, erosion of trust in government and lack of political will.
A delegation of the All-India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) visited the strife-torn state from August 9th-11th and met those who faced the brunt of the ethnic violence.
In the memorandum, AIDWA conveyed the deep sense of insecurity and despair of Manipuri women. The group also mentioned that Governor Anusuiya Uikey, whom they met, has directly interacted with many of the victims and given her recommendations to the relevant authorities.
“However, what we saw and experienced shows that there is no change on the ground and in people’s hearts. We could understand the utter grimness of the situation in Manipur only after visiting the state and interacting with the people there, especially women”, the memorandum said.
The CPI(M) women’s delegation further added that the divisions between the Meiteis and Kukis, who have lived peacefully with each other, run deep and there is an environment of “fear, distrust and suspicion” on both sides. The ethnic violence in Manipur, which started on May 3rd, has claimed over 160 lives while displacing thousands more.
“We met the President. We handed over the full report of our Manipur visit. In the memorandum, we highlighted the sexual assault of women that was politicised. The politics that Chief Minister and the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) were given details about. She (President) was concerned about the plight of women in the state”, CPI(M) leader Karat said on Friday.
The Opposition has been continuously targeting the state and the Union government over the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur and the matter also took centre stage during the recently concluded monsoon session of the Parliament. They have even mooted a no-confidence motion in the Parliament to force Prime Minister Narendra Modi to speak on the issue.
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who is leading a four-member party delegation on a three-day visit to Manipur from August 18th to 20th, demanded the sacking of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
Earlier a 21-member delegation from Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) visited the violence-hit Manipur from July 29th-30th. The delegation met Manipur Governor Uikey and visited the relief camps set up in the state. A five-member delegation was also sent to Manipur by the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
The ethnic strife in Manipur started between Kukis and Meiteis over a Manipur High Court order to bestow scheduled tribe status to the latter. Both sides have accused each other of perpetrating violence, including massacres and sexual violence against women.
