Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said that whenever incidents like the Manipur violence happen, Mr. Modi adopts a “vow of silence” and it is the sign of a “weak leader”.
“With a lot of anguish, I must say that the Manipur government and the Central government are responsible for this. It has been seen quite often that whenever there are such instances, the PM decides to adopt a vow of silence. This is the sign of a weak leader,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
He said that a real and courageous leader will be at the forefront and it is truly a sad state of affairs that since the Manipur crisis began, the PM has remained “mute” and “inactive”.
“Had he taken steps at the right time, heinous violence against our sisters from Manipur could have been prevented. There have been multiple such incidents, we cannot even fathom how many such women have suffered through such experiences during this time. And the leaders have done nothing. What were they doing?” Mr. Kejriwal asked.
The incident, captured on video, took place approximately over two and a half months ago, and the BJP government in Manipur has not taken any decisive action to address the violence against women in the region, he added.
Mr. Kejriwal termed the government’s “lack of response” as “shameful, disgraceful, and criminal”. “They’ve filed FIRs against unknown persons whereas in the video the faces of the men are clearly visible. This is a criminal conspiracy and State-level negligence. It has shaken the whole nation to its core,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
Senior party leader Atishi said that while Manipur was burning and women were being raped, Mr. Modi prioritised his world tour over addressing the pressing situation in the country. “Amidst brutal acts of torture and rape against women in Manipur, the PM found time to visit other countries, but not Manipur,” she said.
Party chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar expressed grave concerns about the deteriorating law and order situation in Manipur, despite a prolonged internet shutdown and called for a thorough investigation into the horrifying gang rape incident.
