Maliwal meets families of women stripped, paraded in Manipur

Maliwal travelled to Churachandpur, Moirang and Imphal districts and visited relief camps and interacted with the survivors of violence.

The two women paraded naked in Manipur are yet to receive any counselling or compensation from the state and are in deep trauma, DCW chief Swati Maliwal, who met the families of the two survivors, said on Tuesday while slamming the state government for the violence.

Maliwal, who is on a tour of the northeastern state, said she was informed by the families that neither the state chief minister, nor any cabinet minister, nor a senior officer from the state bothered to meet the DCW members.

Maliwal along with member Vandana Singh travelled to Churachandpur in Manipur on Monday and met the mother and husband of the sexual assault survivors whose assault video had gone viral, the Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) said in a statement

She travelled to Churachandpur, Moirang and Imphal districts and visited relief camps and interacted with the survivors of violence.

The panel alleged that the Manipur government did not extend any support to Maliwal to travel there or meet with the survivors of violence.

Maliwal met the mother and husband of the two victims who had been paraded naked, molested and one of them was gangraped. The mother of the woman who was gangraped also lost her husband and son who were trying to save the victim from the sexual assault, the statement said.

The husband of the woman, who was paraded naked and molested, had fought for the country in the Kargil war, it said.

They informed that the victims are in deep trauma and are constantly reliving the horrific moments.

"The survivors are yet to get any counselling, legal aid, or compensation from the government so far. They were angry that no action has been taken against any police officer in their case," the panel alleged.

Maliwal also interacted with other women in the state affected by violence.

At the Churachandpur relief camp, she met a 70-year-old woman hailing from Langchink village whose only son was killed in the violence.

Maliwal also met a 34-year-old woman who had just delivered a girl in Imphal when a mob surrounded her. Her husband and brother-in-law were killed and she somehow managed to escape with the baby.

In Imphal, several women affected with violence approached Maliwal.

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Talking about her visit, the DCW chief alleged she did not receive any support from the government to enter Manipur and went there at great personal risk.

"The viral video shook me to the core and I wanted to meet the survivors at all cost. I was informed by locals that it is very difficult to travel Churachandpur to meet the families of the survivors. Yet I decided to go there without any security amidst heavy firing. Somehow, I managed to meet them," she said.

The survivors of the violence went through the worst hell imaginable and it is deeply distressing to know that neither the chief minister nor any government functionary has meet them, she alleged.

"The violence in Manipur is extremely troubling and everywhere I am going, there are horror stories which are mind-numbing. People have lost their homes and loved ones and the government has completely failed in protecting them. I think that the Centre should urgently seek the resignation of the Manipur chief minister," she said.

She reiterated her demand that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should visit Manipur along with Home Minister Amit Shah and WCD Minister Smriti Irani urgently.