Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh slams Smriti Irani

During the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, commencing on Thursday, the Congress announced its intention to address the issue of Manipur violence.

New Delhi: Slamming Union Minister for Women and Child Development Smriti Irani for “waiting” to speak to Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh on Thursday said it was “absolutely inexcusable”.

Ramesh’s remark comes in reference to an incident which occurred on May 4 in Manipur just a day after the widespread ethnic violence broke out, where two women were paraded naked by a mob in public and according to the Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF), they were also gang raped.

---

The horrific incident came to light after videos of the ghastly episode were widely circulated on social media recently Taking to Twitter, Ramesh said: “78 days since full scale ethnic violence broke out in Manipur.

77 days since the ghastly incident where two women were stripped, paraded and allegedly raped. 63 days since an FIR was filed against unknown persons and the culprits are still at large.

“Was the Union government, the Home Minister or the Prime Minister not aware of this? When will the Modi government stop acting like all is well? When will the CM of Manipur be replaced? How many more such incidents have been suppressed? As Monsoon session starts today, INDIA will demand answers. Chuppi todiye Pradhan Mantri-ji.” On Wednesday night, Irani condemned the incident as “downright inhuman”.

In a tweet, the Union Minister said: “The horrific video of sexual assault of 2 women emanating from Manipur is condemnable and downright inhuman. Spoke to CM N. Biren Singh who has informed me that investigation is currently underway and assured that no effort will be spared to bring the perpetrators to justice.”

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying his silence has led to anarchy in Manipur.

The Congress said that it will raise the issue of Manipur violence during the Monsoon Session of Parliament which will begin on Thursday.

The part has been critical of the Centre for failing to control the situation in Manipur and has demanded immediate removal of the Chief Minister for failing miserably to control the situation. Since the ethnic violence broke out in Manipur, hundreds of people have lost their lives while thousands were forced out of their homes.