UP: Students, Civil Society Groups Protest Against Manipur Viral Video, Call For CM’s Resignation

Lucknow: In a manifestation of public anger over a video of two women from the Kuki-Zomi community being paraded naked and sexually assaulted in Manipur, the state capital saw a wave of protests by university students, civil society groups and women’s organisations.

A massive protest was also held in Aligarh by students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), demanding strict punishment against the accused involved in the heinous crime and the resignation of Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

"We are not just sad but angry. When will such atrocities stop? Are women not human,” Amir, an AMU student who was part of the march, told NewsClick over the phone.

Another student, Farhan Zuberi, who was part of the protest, told NewsClick: "Thousands of people of the Kuki-Zomi community were forced to migrate to safer places due to the violence, and more than a hundred churches were burnt in the last two months, but there is no one to question the government because people are afraid of this fascist government, infamous for bulldozing houses.”

In Varanasi, students associated with the National Students Union of India (NSUI) organised a candle march to show their support and demand justice for the victim on Thursday at Banaras Hindu University (BHU). 

They burnt the effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Manipur CM N. Biren Singh in protest against the horrific incidents in Manipur. 

"We demand the immediate resignation of both of them and justice for the women who suffered the brutality," Pragya, a student, told NewsClick.

She said even after such an inhuman and barbaric incident came to the fore, the silence of the Prime Minister was raising a question mark on the government, "Is Manipur not an integral part of our country?" she said.

The candle march in the BHU campus ended at the statue of Madan Mohan Malviya at Lanka Chuaraha.

The protesting students demanded that President Droupadi Murmu should dismiss the Manipur government, and set up a high-level fact-finding committee to investigate the brutality meted out to tribal women.

In Lucknow, civil society groups in several parts of the state organised the silent march, “The videos on sexual violence against women from Manipur are heart-wrenching. Such a heinous act cannot be tolerated. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had time to visit foreign countries. He hasn’t yet gone to the northeastern State,” Roop Rekha Verma, former vice-chancellor of Lucknow University, told NewsClick.

Verma accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of maintaining silence for almost two months despite Manipur burning.

Expressing solidarity with the victim and demanding the arrest of the perpetrators, members of the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) and the National Federation of Indian Women gave a call for a protest march from its Qaiserbagh office. 

Madhu Garg, AIDWA national joint secretary, said such brutal incidents cannot be tolerated in a civil society. “It is worse than the emergency period as there is total anarchy. Law and order has totally collapsed. The Biren Singh-led Manipur government and the police have blood on the hands of poor tribals. We demand that he resign forthwith to restore peace and harmony in the state,” she told NewsClick. 

Meanwhile, Opposition parties, including Samajwadi Party (SP) and Congress workers also hit the road against the brutal incident that took place in Manipur. 

A group of SP workers in Taj City Agra staged a half-naked protest on Friday, demanding the imposition of President's Rule in Manipur and the capital punishment of those who paraded and violated the women there.