Cannot justify what happened in Manipur by saying similar incidents happened elsewhere: CJI
In a significant comment on the Manipur issue, the Supreme Court, while hearing petitions filed by two Kuki women who were video-recorded being paraded naked by a mob of Meitei on May 4, said on Monday (July 31) that what happened in Manipur cannot be justified by saying that similar incidents have happened in other states.
The comment by Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud assumes significance in the light of the fact that BJP MPs’ have been constantly trying to divert attention from the Manipur issue by saying that — whenever the demand for discussing the Manipur issue has been made by Opposition MPs in Parliament — similar incidents have happened in Opposition-ruled states too and so they must as well be discussed simultaneously.
Bengal, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh have especially been referred to by BJP leaders.
Justice Chandrachud said: “We are dealing with something of unprecedented magnitude of violence against women in communal and sectarian violence. It cannot be said that crimes are happening against women and in Bengal also. But here the case is different. We cannot justify what happened in Manipur by saying that this and this happened elsewhere.”
Even the prime minister, during his brief comments on Manipur given to the media outside Parliament, referred to incidents of rape and molestation in Congress-ruled Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, adopting the same diversionary tactics. It must also be noted that both the states are going to the polls later this year.
The CJI later clarified his and the court’s view, in an interview to NDTV, thus: “There is no gainsaying the fact that crimes against women are taking place in all parts. The only answer is this. You cannot excuse what is taking place in one part of the country, like Manipur, on the ground [by saying] that similar crimes are happening in other parts too. Question is how do we deal with Manipur. Mention that … Are you saying protect all daughters of India or don’t protect anyone?”
