IMPHAL, March 2: Altogether 43 cases of violence against women and children have been reported in the State during the ongoing Assembly session, claimed Women Action for Development secretary Sobita Mangsatabam during a public meeting today.
The meeting was held on “Denial of speedy trail and insensitivity of the Government of Crimes against women and children in Manipur’ at the Manipur Press Club.
She said the core theme of the public meeting is to sound a wake-up call for the government to such crimes against women and children.
The present government is insensitive to crimes against women and children, she said citing that none of the elected legislators have raised the issue during the ongoing session.
Sobita also asserted that there is a need to ensure speedy trial in such crimes.
During January and February this year alone, 83 cases of crimes against women and children have been reported, she asserted.
The cases include five rape cases, one killed after rape, an attempted rape, three suspicious deaths, one murder, two suicides, 22 assualts, two molestations, three life attempts, nine missing, 32 trafficking and two cybercrimes, she elaborated.
The escalating cases of crimes against women and children indicates that women and children and no more safe in the State, nevertheless, the State’s MLAs continue to remain mute on the issue, she lamented.
This has also proved that our MLAs are incompetent and are only concerned about the people during the election, she claimed.
Sobita continued that the recent minor rape victim was admitted to the hospital on February 15 and died on February 28.
During the minor’s stay in the hospital not a single MLA visited her, she lamented.
In Delhi, the government had provided the best medical care to the victim of the infamous Delhi Bus Rape case, who eventually died, whereas in Manipur, a minor rape victim died and the government and the MLAs have no concern, she continued.
Sobita also charged there must have been some medical negligence in looking after the minor victim and urged the authorities concerned to look deeper into the issue.
She said the WAD has fax a calling attention to the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Home Affairs, Women and Child Development Minister, DONER Minister, State Chief Minister, State Home minister, Social Welfare minister and State Governor regarding the increasing crime against women and children in the State of Manipur.
Today’s public meeting was organised by WAD in collaboration with Conflict Widows Forum, North East Dialogue Forum, United NGOs Mission-Manipur, Humanitarian Justice Foundation, New Life Foundation, Village Women Coordinating Committee and other NGOs, Community Based Organisations and Public Organisations.
Convenor of the JAC formed against the brutal rape of Baby Lansinlu Gonmei, Panti Gonmei, advocate Laimayum Sevananda; SADO secretary Laishram Mandir and New Life Foundation secretary Pishak were also present as dais member in the public meeting.