Are You Saying Protect All Women Or None?- SC On Manipur Violence

The two women filed petitions against the centre and the Manipur government in the Supreme Court. The petition asks SC to take suo motu action in the case and order a fair inquiry. It also appealed apex court to protect their identities. 

SC to hear the Centre's request to shift the case to a different state today. Responding to a lawyer who spoke about crimes against women in Bengal, and elsewhere, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said, "We cannot justify what happened in Manipur "by saying that this and this happened elsewhere".

SC On Manipur Sexual Violence Video

CJI traced the Manipur violence and said- "Question is how do we deal with Manipur? Mention that...Are you saying protect all daughters of India or don't protect anyone?" 

The lawyer representing women requested a Supreme Court-monitored probe and argued that the survivors should have confidence in the investigation. The further government said it has no objection if the Supreme Court monitors the investigation. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal also pointed out- The government doesn't have the data on the total cases registered and that shows the state of affairs. 

SC asked the Centre out of around 6,000 FIRs, how many cases are crimes against women. In response, the Centre stated of not having break-up of such cases.

Recently, the Centre appealed Supreme Court to transfer the case of the Manipur video in which two women were being paraded naked. 

The Centre entrusted the Manipur sexual violence case to CBI and also asked the SC to move the trial out of the state. Earlier, SC condemned the "deeply disturbing" video, calling it a "gross constitutional failure." CJI DY Chandrachud ordered the Centre to take quick action if no Court will. CJI Chandrachud said, "We are very deeply disturbed about the videos distributed. We are expressing our deep concern. It is time that the government steps and takes action. It also asked the government to keep the court in the loop and ensure that the trial is completed within six months."

The apex court was supposed to hear petitions about ethnic violence in Manipur on July 28, however, the hearing will start today. 

The video that went viral on 19 July created nationwide outrage. The women were paraded naked amid a violent protest that erupted in Manipur in May. The incident is claimed to occur in Kangpokpi district, 35 kilometres away from the state capital of Imphal. However, the police claim a different location of the incident. The violence erupted between the Meitei and Kuki tribes, the two ethnic communities in Manipur, over the demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status.  So far, the conflict has witnessed hundreds of fatal casualties. Women have been majorly impacted due to the ongoing conflict.   

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