Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh after a shocking video of two women being paraded naked on a road in Manipur went viral.
Maliwal has sought 'urgent intervention' of the Prime Minister into the matter, and requested him to instruct the local authorities to expedite the process of apprehending all the culprits.
She also demanded "necessary support and protection for the survivors and their families", while seeking action against the "erring police officers who failed to act swiftly in the matter".
Further, she has expressed shock and dismay over no visit conducted neither by the Union Minister for Women and Child Development nor the Chairperson of the National Commission for Women to Manipur to assess the nature of crimes being perpetrated against the women and girls there.
Maliwal also expressed her willingness to visit Manipur to understand the ground realities and submit a fact-finding report to the government at the earliest, so that the state can reach out to more victims of sexual crimes and take urgent steps to prevent such atrocities and enhance the safety of women and girls in the state.
"I was unable to sleep the entire night and have been scarred forever by watching the video depicting the brutality being perpetrated on the girls in Manipur. The treatment meted out to them is a complete violation of human rights and is deeply distressing. The state of Manipur has been burning for over three months and women and girls are facing the wrath of sexual violence," she said.
"It is disheartening to see the silence and inaction of the Centre and the state of Manipur over such horrific crimes. I have written a letter to the Prime Minister and Manipur CM to urgently intervene into the matter and ensure safe environment for women and girls of Manipur. I have written to Manipur CM as I wish to visit the place and interact with the women and girls so that a fact finding report can be submitted to the government," Maliwal said.