The Union government has issued a directive to Twitter and other social media platforms, urging them not to share the video of two women being paraded naked by a mob of men in Manipur. The video which has been shared by many shows an armed mob parading two naked women near a paddy field. The visuals also show the women being sexually assaulted during the act.
The government has issued an order to Twitter and other social media platforms, instructing them not to share the viral video of the two Manipuri women being paraded nude. It is imperative for social media platforms to adhere to Indian laws as the matter is currently under…
— ANI (@ANI) July 20, 2023
The incident took place in B Phainom village, Kangpokpi district of Manipur on May 4. The delay in the video's circulation, with it surfacing after two months, is believed to be a result of an internet shutdown in Manipur for many days.
The incident was an act of retaliation, fueled by a false viral image a day earlier which claimed that a Meitei woman had been raped and killed by Kuki men in Churachandpur when the ethnic violence broke out. The fake news caused immense damage and escalated tensions in the region.
It is to be noted that violence between the communities started in the first week of May after a peaceful protest turned violent. The protest was conducted by “Tribal Solidarity March” on May 3, organised by the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur (ATSUM) in Churachandpur opposing the government’s decision on giving tribal status to the Meitei community. This spate of violence started after allegations that some Meitei youths set fire to a portion of the Anglo Kuki War Memorial Gate at Churachandpur. Following this, violence erupted in many parts of the state. Villages and residential areas were set ablaze by miscreants and the state government imposed curfew in many parts of the state.
Meitei is the majority ethnic community in Manipur and they were demanding the Scheduled Tribes (ST) status for many years, which is vehemently opposed by the other ethnic tribal communities including the Kukis. However, on March 27 this year, the Manipur High Court directed the state government to consider the request by Metei (Meitei) Tribe Union to accord them Scheduled Tribe status within four weeks and send a recommendation to the Union government for its consideration.