‘Satyameva Jayate’(Truth alone triumphs), the phrase is inscribed in the Devanagari script at the base of the Lion Capital of Ashoka (Chakra) and forms an integral part of the Indian national emblem. The emblem and the words ‘Satyameva Jayate’ are inscribed on one side of all Indian currency and national documents, is the much-used slogan by our politicians, but seldom practiced.
In the Manipur violence, a video had surfaced and gone viral that three women, only two are apparently visible on the video, one of which is a young woman just 21 years of age, are made to strip naked at gunpoint in front of a mob. The young lady was gang raped, and when the brother protested to save the honour and modesty of his sister, he was killed instantaneously. In the same incident a woman was paraded naked whose husband was a Kargil war veteran. He emotionally lamented that he risked his life to save Indian citizens but could not save his wife from the mob.
The incident took place on May 4, one of the victims who managed to flee the spot contacted the police in ‘Kangpokpi’ taken to the police station and a Zero FIR was lodged. The 26 second video parading the women naked went viral on July 19 to 20. This raises serious questions which remain unanswered –How did the video surface after a gap of more than two month. The main reason is the suspension of the internet. Can the authorities suspend the internet arbitrarily at the drop of the hat? A ploy often used to supress the facts and truth.
The same modus operandi was used in Kashmir; the internet is an important form of freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution. The ban helps the perpetrators of crime rather than the victims. If the internet was functioning, the heinous crime would have come to light immediately. The Supreme Court should suo moto step in and uphold this freedom of expression. What if the video did not surface, would any justice be administered to the rape and molestation victims? We have to appreciate some fearless women who recounted emotionally on TV the ‘horrors of Manipur’, which would otherwise have been trivialised as one of ethnic violence. It is the video that stirred the conscience of the Supreme Court and took suo moto cognizance, and pushed the Government to take action. The enforcement agencies are often used to hound electronic media such as Twitter, Facebook, etc however there are some fearless TV channel anchors that keep their journalistic guns blazing.
Manipur Burning: About 249 churches were destroyed, 200 tribal villages were attacked, houses belonging to the Kuki tribe were set on fire, estimated 150 persons lost their lives, countless injured, 50,000 people were displaced fleeing their homes, many living in make-shift relief camps without proper food, water and medical facilities. All the violence is reported to have started on May 3 and the destruction happened within 36 hours, the cause of the violence is attributed to a court order to include the Meitei tribe who are majority Hindu, in the ST category. The Meitei tribe who are relatively well established occupy the valley and the capital Imphal. The Kukis are tribals who are included in the ST category and occupy the hilly areas are predominantly Baptist Christians and are in a minority. It is alleged that the violence started when a section of Kuki students took out a peaceful morcha to oppose the inclusion of the Meitei community in the ST category, all hell broke loose, the Meitei attacked police station and a cache of about 4000 arms from the armouries including automatic weapons were looted. Was this allowed to happen with the implicit consent of the authorities? Recently Manipur’s top cop decorated woman police officer Thounaojam Brinda, returned her medal in protest, when Biren Singh pressurised her to release a drug lord on bail.
Dramatis Personae: At the height of the violence there was a clamour for the resignation of the Chief Minister Biren Singh who comes from the Meitei community. Biren Singh stage-managed a grandiose drama, that he was going to submit his resignation letter to the Governor, when guess what, he was intercepted by Manipuri women who tore his letter of resignation, a cavalier who upholds women rights? Why was no action taken and the perpetrators of rape and molestation not arrested till date? He even awarded a death sentence even before the trial of the accused. On May 30, almost one month after the Manipur violence erupted, Union Home Minister Amit Shah finally visited the conflict-torn state, appealed for peace. Was it only superficial, why was president’s rule not imposed in Manipur? Why was at least Biren Singh not replaced? Only 750 arms were returned of the 4000 stolen. Is this symbolic?
Sounds of Silence: PM Narendra Modi was on an official visit to US at the height of Manipur violence. He did not utter a word when cornered by the press, he tried to skirt the issue by saying that India is the largest democracy and followed all democratic principles. Motto: see no evil; hear no evil do no evil. No sooner the video went viral PM Modi was suddenly simmering with rage, that the guilty will not be spared, that the incident has shamed 140 crore Indians. Our speaker comes from the tribal community the President of India comes from a tribal community why haven’t they spoken to restore peace in Manipur.
Déjà vu: Have we not seen it already ? Gujarat (Bilkis Bano case), Kashmir, and now Manipur. The reel version soon follows, Kashmir files, Goa files, will Manipur files see the light of the day? Goa Assembly had the time to discuss BBC files, no time to discuss Manipur files. Who will rebuild 249 churches destroyed, homes and lives shattered? Let us pray for Manipur and that same fate should not befall Goa. ‘Satyameva Jayate’.
(The author is a lawyer, social activist and agriculturist)
