Accused responsible for parading incident in Manipur should be hanged, says Union Minister Ramdas Athawale

Kochi, Jul 22 (PTI) Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Saturday called for capital punishment to the accused arrested in connection with the horrific incident of May 4 in Kangpokpi district of the violence-hit Manipur where two women were paraded naked.

Addressing the media here, Athawale, who is Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment, said the central government was viewing the issues in Manipur seriously.

Urging the various communities in Manipur to maintain peace, Athawale said the incidents of atrocities against women in the northeastern state was a serious matter.

“Manipur is a sensitive issue and the Government of India is viewing it very seriously. The atrocities against women is a serious thing. Many people are burning the houses. We appeal to the communities to maintain peace,” he said.

Athawale said Union Home Minister Amit Shah has already called for an all-party meeting regarding the burning issue.

“I appeal to both sides…we don’t want violence there, we want peace. But the recent atrocities against women are very serious. Eleven accused were taken into custody. Our demand is that they should be punished by hanging. That is also our party’s demand. This is a serious incident. And should be punished accordingly,” the Union Minister and the leader of the Republican Party of India (Athawale), said.

The RPI(A) is a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) at the Centre.

The two women are alleged to have been sexually assaulted before being set free. A 26-second video of the horrific incident surfaced on Wednesday creating uproar among the political class and public alike.

The next day, police made the first arrest in connection with the incident. A man who was part of the mob that paraded the women at B. Phainom village and was seen dragging one of them was nabbed. Three more arrests were made later that day.

These four persons were remanded in 11-day police custody on Friday.

One of the women seen in the video is the wife of an former armyman, who served as a subedar in Assam Regiment and had even fought in the Kargil War in 1999.

More than 160 people have died, and several have been injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals, which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and reside mostly in the hill districts.

Athawale met the media after inaugurating an event organised by Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), Thiruvananthapuram Zone as part of the national-level Rozgar Mela here.

He said Rozgar Mela is a platform that embodies the spirit of progress and empowerment where dreams meet reality and aspirations find wings to soar.

Rozgar Mela was held at 44 locations across the country today. During the programme in Kochi, appointment letters were handed over to a total of 119 newly inducted recruits.

Candidates are appointed in the Department of Posts, Defence Estates Organization, Indian Navy, Defence Accounts (Navy), Kerala Gramin Bank, State Bank of India, Life Insurance Corporation, Railways, Customs and CGST among others.