Keywords: Manipur Violence, CJI DY Chandrachud, Supreme Court, Disturbing Video, Cognizance
On Thursday, the Supreme Court of India took suo motu cognizance of a distressing video depicting two women from Manipur being publicly stripped and sexually assaulted during the ongoing ethnic conflict in the region. The Court has directed both the Central Government and the State Government to report on the actions they have undertaken to apprehend the culprits and bring them to justice.
This morning, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud requested the presence of Attorney General for India R Venkataramani and Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta. During the court session, CJI Chandrachud addressed the AG and SG, expressing profound distress over the recently surfaced videos showing the horrifying incident of two women being paraded in Manipur. The Chief Justice conveyed deep concern and emphasized that it is imperative for the government to intervene promptly and take decisive action, as such behavior is utterly unacceptable.
The Chief Justice of India expressed profound concern over the exploitation of women as a tool to perpetrate gender-based violence in regions facing communal conflicts, deeming it an extremely distressing and severe violation of human rights. Despite the video capturing the incident on May 4, the CJI emphasized that the timing does not diminish the gravity of the matter.
During the proceedings, the CJI conveyed a warning to the government, stating that they will grant a brief period for the authorities to take appropriate action against the culprits; otherwise, the court will intervene. The Chief Justice sought detailed information on the measures taken by the government since May to apprehend the criminals responsible for the heinous act.
Furthermore, the CJI inquired about the government’s efforts to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future, questioning whether this was an isolated event or part of a broader pattern of violence against women in the region.
Lisa Gupta, NUSRL, Ranchi, Semester 3, an intern under Legal Vidhiya
