New Delhi— A gruesome incident in the heart of Manipur has plunged the nation into a state of shock and outrage. The disturbing video, capturing the appalling act of two tribal women being stripped and paraded naked, has ignited a firestorm of condemnation across the country. As voices of anger and anguish reverberate through social media, the incident has caught the attention of the nation's highest judiciary. The Supreme Court of India, deeply disturbed by the horrifying visuals, has stepped into the fray, vowing to take action if the government fails to address the issue promptly.

Amidst the rising clamor for justice, the opposition parties have raised their voices, demanding immediate accountability and even the resignation of Manipur CM Biren Singh. The incident has thrust Manipur into the national spotlight, exposing a dark episode that calls for stringent measures to safeguard the rights and dignity of its citizens, particularly women.

Social media went on a tear after the video showing two tribal women being stripped and paraded naked surfaced on the internet. The incident is reported to have taken place on the 4th of May, but the shutdown of the internet seemed to have prevented the video from being circulated.

Prime Minister condemns the violence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish over the violence against women: "My heart is filled with pain and anger. The incident from Manipur that has come before us is shameful for any civilized society… the whole nation is shamed. I urge all the chief ministers to further strengthen law and order in their states, especially for the security of women, and take the strongest measures. Be it any incident in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Manipur, or any corner of the country - rise above politics…" he said while speaking to the media on Thursday morning.

Union Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani reacted by tweeting, “The horrific video of sexual assault of 2 women emanating from Manipur is condemnable and downright inhuman. Spoke to CM @NBirenSingh ji, who has informed me that an investigation is currently underway and assured that no effort will be spared to bring perpetrators to justice.”

Meanwhile, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh promised strict action against the perpetrators: “My heart goes out to the two women who were subjected to a deeply disrespectful and inhumane act, as shown in the distressing video that surfaced yesterday. After taking Suo-moto cognizance of the incident immediately after the video surfaced, the Manipur Police swung into action and made the first arrest this morning.” A thorough investigation is currently underway, and we will ensure strict action is taken against all the perpetrators, including considering the possibility of capital punishment. Let it be known, there is absolutely no place for such heinous acts in our society," he said in a statement to media.

Opposition demands CM's resignation

However, the assurance from the Prime Minister and Chief Minister was not enough to stave off fire from the opposition. BSP supremo Mayawati targeted the BJP government over the violence and tweeted, “The whole country is concerned over the unabated violence in Manipur, and the recent episode of violence against women is shameful for the BJP and its government. Although the law-and-order situation in the state has been in shambles for a long time, does the BJP continue to shield such Chief Ministers?

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav also did not pull punches in attacking the RSS and BJP. He said, "The politics of hate of RSS and the politics of hate of BJP are responsible for the situation in Manipur."

Bhim Army Chief Chandra Shekhar Azad demanded the Home Minister to visit the state. He said in a tweet, “In Manipur, the monsters are blatantly stripping the women and committing sexual violence against them. The central government, state government, media, and the whole machinery are just mute spectators. We had to see this in the rule of (this) Prime Minister”. He demanded that the Home Minister should immediately leave for Manipur, and the President should dismiss the state government. Stringent action should be taken against the monsters.”

Speaking to the media, Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav said, "A shameful video has come from Manipur. We had raised the Manipur issue in the Bengaluru meeting also. When Rahul Gandhi can go to Manipur, then why can't PM go there? PM Modi, the Central govt is silent on this issue."

Chief Justice Promises action if the government does not

The Supreme Court of India also took cognizance of the issue, and the Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud said, “We are very deeply disturbed about the videos distributed yesterday. We are expressing our deep concern. It is time that the government steps in and takes action. This is unacceptable." He added that the apex court will be forced to take action if the government does not.The Supreme Court also asked the government to inform about the steps being taken by the government in this case.

Celebrities vent ire on Social Media

The outrage against the heinous crime also rippled through the entertainment industry. Celebrities took to Twitter to condemn the incident. Bollywood Superstar Akshay Kumar demanded punishment for the culprits through a tweet: "Shaken, disgusted to see the video of violence against women in Manipur. I hope the culprits get such a harsh punishment that no one ever thinks of doing a horrifying thing like this again (sic)." He tweeted.

Bollywood Actress Richa Chadha, a vocal voice on social issues, also expressed her anger by quote tweeting a post related to the incident by a retired bureaucrat Surya Pratap Singh and said, “Shameful! Horrific! Lawless!

The video of the dastardly act may prove to be a tipping point in the Manipur violence, which has continued for more than two months. The Central Government may be forced to take some drastic action to stem the violence.

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