“PM Modi, Manipur CM not willing to accept accountability over Manipur”: TMC minister Shashi Panja

Jul 22, 2023

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 22 : Trinamool Congress MLA and West Bengal Women and Child Welfare Development Minister, Shashi Panja, on Saturday voiced concern over the Manipur viral video, asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi to clear his stand on the incident.
The Centre and the Manipur government have come under fire from the Opposition over a viral video from Manipur, purportedly showing two women being paraded in the nude.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Panja said, "Yesterday, from the podium of our July 21 rally, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and (MP) Abhishek Banerjee cleared our state on the Manipur incident. We had been tracking events in Manipur over the past 88 days, waiting for the PM to speak up. It wasn't until the day before yesterday that he finally opened up on Manipur, making a brief statement expressing his sorrow (over the viral video). We demand that all other listed businesses in Parliament be suspended or set aside and the PM make his stand clear on the Manipur issue."
"Two days have passed (since the viral video) and we still haven't seen the PM making a statement in Parliament. Our five-member fact-finding team that visited Manipur said the situation is grave there. It seems that the central government is turning a blind eye to reality. The PM and the state's CM aren't willing to accept accountability (for the Manipur situation). I would like the Union Women and Child Development Minister (Smriti Irani) to also clear her stand on this. The Centre sent a fact-finding team to Bengal (to inquire into the violence during and after the Bengal panchayat polls) but why did they not send a similar team to Manipur? The PM was busy campaigning in Karnataka but did not speak a word on Manipur," she added.
Further hitting out at PM Modi, the TMC leader said, "He had time to make overseas visits but not to visit Manipur as it burned. As a woman, I felt helpless after watching the video. Where are the victims now? The NCW (National Commission for Women) received a complaint (over the video) within 38 days (of the incident). Why did it not act before? The central government is questioning why Twitter did not take down the video. It has resorted to a diversionary tactic in the wake of the Manipur incident. The PM has to issue a statement in Parliament over the Manipur incident."
Accusing NCW chief Rekha Sharma of being "politically motivated", the Bengal minister said, "Did she visit Manipur? Was the Union Home Minister (Amit Shah), who visited Manipur, informed about the video? This video shows how the Home Minister failed to control law and order in Manipur."
Warning of more protests in Parliament as the two Houses reconvene on Monday, the minister said, "Our MP's will hold more protests over this incident. Mamata Banerjee has assured the people of Manipur that she would fight for their rights," Panja added.