Congress Leader Pramod Tewari Questions Amit Shah’s Visit: “Did Shah Hide It from the Nation?”

New Delhi, July 22, 2023: The Congress party has raised serious questions about the awareness of Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and Union Home Minister Amit Shah regarding the appalling incident of a mob publicly parading two women naked in Manipur.

Congress leader Pramod Tewari, the deputy leader in the Rajya Sabha, criticized Amit Shah’s three-day visit to Manipur from May 29 to June 2, during which the incident occurred, and questioned how such a grave matter went unnoticed.

Tewari also raised concerns about the functioning of the intelligence agency and the role of the governor in the state. The incident, which involved torture and gang rape, took place on May 4, but the Prime Minister expressed shock over the video circulating on social media only on Thursday. Tewari asked: “Did Shah hide it from the nation? Why did Modi speak about it only after the Supreme Court took suo motu notice of the horror?”

The Congress further pointed out that a formal FIR had been registered on May 18, indicating that the chief minister was likely aware of the incident. Reports suggested that the National Commission for Women (NCW) had knowledge of the matter but chose not to make it public or take action on the complaints.

Congress’s media department head Pawan Khera emphasized the importance of media transparency and urged for more comprehensive reporting on criminal activities. He appealed to President Droupadi Murmu to intervene in the matter.

Regarding the BJP’s attempts to draw false equivalence with other states, Khera stated that prompt actions were taken against criminal activities in those states, and highlighted the disturbing trend of BJP-ruled states topping the chart in crimes against women, as per National Crime Records Bureau data.

The Opposition has been seeking debate on the Manipur issue in Parliament under an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha and under Rule 267 in the Rajya Sabha. However, the government is not amenable to these rules, as they prefer short-duration discussions, while the Opposition wants an unlimited time frame and a voting resolution to reflect the stance of both Houses.