DCW chief denied permission to meet assault survivors in Manipur

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Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal.

New Delhi, (Asian independent) The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal on Saturday made serious allegations against the Manipur Government.

She claimed that despite initially inviting her to come on Sunday, the Manipur Government suddenly rescinded their permission to meet with two women from the Kuki-Zomi community who had been subjected to the horrifying ordeal of being stripped, paraded, and sexually assaulted.

Expressing her outrage, Maliwal took to Twitter and stated: “After giving me the green light to visit Manipur, they have now taken a U-turn and suddenly denied permission to meet survivors and lend them support. This is both shocking and absurd. Why should meeting survivors of sexual violence be hindered? I had already made travel arrangements after discussing the visit with them. Why are they trying to obstruct me???”

Alongside her tweet, she shared the email response she received from an official representing the Manipur Government.

Earlier, on Saturday, a demonstration took place at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, led by several individuals belonging to the Kuki community, seeking a separate administration to put an end to the violence and restore peace in the troubled northeastern state of Manipur.

Joining the cause, activists from the All India Students’ Association and the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan also gathered at Jantar Mantar to protest, holding up placards and banners with powerful messages such as “CM Biren Singh must resign” and “End violence in Manipur.”

During the protest, they vehemently demanded strict action against those responsible for the reprehensible act of disrobing and parading two women naked, an incident that had been captured in a video that surfaced on May 4.

Meanwhile, the Manipur Police on Saturday claimed to have arrested one more accused who is a juvenile, taking the total number of arrests in Manipur women assault case to six.

Police said that the sixth accused was arrested from Thoubal district on Saturday afternoon.