Manipur violence: Centre asks CBI to probe May 4 horror; seeks trial outside state
The CBI has been assigned to investigate the horrifying incident shown in a video from Manipur, where two women were paraded naked by a mob. The Union Home Ministry's move follows widespread public outrage and a political face-off with the united opposition.
FollowThe Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will be investigating the shocking incident captured in a horror video from Manipur, where two women were paraded naked by a mob. The Union Home Ministry has referred the case to the CBI, following widespread outrage and a political confrontation with the united opposition. In an effort to address the gravity of the offence, the government aims to hold the trial outside Manipur, a northeastern state that has experienced violence over the past three months. This decision was taken with the consent of the Manipur State Government.
Seven individuals have already been arrested in connection with the case, with the most recent arrest occurring in Thoubal district on Monday. The release of the video from Manipur stirred an uproar in parliament just ahead of the monsoon session, leading the opposition to demand a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. When it became apparent that no statement would be forthcoming, the opposition pursued a no-confidence motion against the government, which was accepted by Speaker Om Birla.
While the opposition acknowledges that the government has the numbers on its side, their main objective with the motion is to compel the Prime Minister to address the Manipur issue in the House, which they believe would not have happened otherwise. Members of the opposition INDIA front are scheduled to visit Manipur over the weekend to assess the situation.
According to officials, the Union Home Ministry is actively engaging with both Meitei and Kuki groups, and negotiations are at an advanced stage to bring about peace and normalcy in Manipur. The state of Manipur has been engulfed in ethnic violence for nearly three months, resulting in the loss of more than 160 lives. The situation escalated after the video from May 4 was circulated widely on social media.
The root cause of the violence in Manipur was a protest rally conducted by the All Tribal Students Union of Manipur (ATSUM) on May 3, opposing the potential inclusion of people from the Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribes (STs) list.
It is anticipated that after securing the Prime Minister's presence through the no-confidence motion, the government will seek cooperation for a discussion on Manipur. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to respond during the discussion. The government's defence revolves around the absence of a precedent, citing past instances of violence in Manipur where no statement was made in Parliament or where the junior home minister issued a statement.
The opposition argues that given the 140-plus deaths, injuries, and displacement of thousands of people since the outbreak of ethnic violence in May, there is nothing more urgent that warrants the Prime Minister's attention. The government's decision to call for a CBI probe is viewed as an attempt to address the significant public outrage in Manipur, a state governed by the BJP.
The violence in Manipur has also drawn international attention, with the European Parliament passing a resolution on the human rights situation in India, specifically referring to the recent clashes in Manipur. The government has said Manipur is an "internal matter. The European parliament's move reflects a "colonial mindset" and is "unacceptable", the foreign ministry had said.
