IMPHAL, January 28: The United People’s Front (UPF), Manipur has expressed concerned over the ever increasing crimes against women.
Even if there are constitutional safeguards to stem crime against women in India and certain acts are in place to punish rapists under Indian law, it is unconceivable to stop rapes and crimes against women in Manipur under the existing laws, a press release from UPF said.
The front also mentioned the double standards in dealing with such crimes in metros as culprits are given harsh sentences if it is perpetrated against those hailing from mainland India while perpetrators are left off the hook if they commit the same crime against women from Manipur.
It also asked whether such incidents happened because investigating agencies were lackadaisical or were bribed thus resulting in half-hearted reports and letting the perpetrators go scot-free.
The press release comparing the spurt in crime against women with a river in spate mentioned the increasing number of cases where women are raped and murdered; molested and other domestic violence cases. It also urged the government to not only punish the culprits befittingly but put such mechanisms in place where victims of such crime against women can live peacefully without any social stigma.
“The heinous acts of rapists are not only akin to smearing coal on the faces of the gullible women of the state but have diminished the trust between the opposite sexes in the state. Many agitations in the past to curb crime against women have not been able to achieve the goal” L.Satyam, Secy, Publicity and Information of UPF said in the press release.
The press release further mentioned the infamous gang rape of the U-Morok vendor and the TG Higher Secondary School rape case where a huge public outrage resulted in the conviction of the culprits. But instead of these convictions causing a deterrent, crime against women continue unabated.
“The rape of a girl in front of her boyfriend in the foothills of a hillock in Mantripukhi has caused immense pain to the people, more so to the womenfolk, in the state. The public should determine the severe punishment that need to be meted to the three culprits, i.e Kh. Bungbung, Kh. Khamba, N. Bocha and also discuss measures to prevent rape in the future. We also need to discuss the steps the government should take to help the victims and it’s about time that the women commission should be empowered to make it even more effective” the release added.
The press release also mentioned the death of Keisham Ongbi Thoibi alias Thoi of Kontha Ahallup in Imphal East, an 18-year-old housewife, who was apparently murdered by her husband, Purnachandra (25), demanding the government to initiate a probe to find the cause of her death.
