BJP Imposed Internet Shutdowns in Manipur to Suppress News of the Gangrape: AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has taken a strong stance in the wake of the Manipur tragedy. Demanding justice and accountability from the Central Government, AAP Chief Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar, expressed grave concerns about the deteriorating law and order situation in Manipur despite a prolonged internet shutdown.

She called for a thorough investigation into a horrifying gang rape incident.

Emphasising the need for stricter punishment for rape offenders, she questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's delayed response and highlighted the mishandling of the case so far.

She urged all Indian citizens to hold the BJP government accountable by tagging PM Modi on social media in questions about Manipur.

Priyanka Kakkar highlighted the stark contrast between the late BJP Cabinet Minister Sushma Swaraj's vision for women's empowerment and the current BJP-ruled Central government's regressive approach towards women’s rights.

She dubbed the current BJP as the "Brij Bhushan Janata Party," pointing out the sexual harassment, assault and stalking allegations against BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh by several women wrestlers.

Priyanka Kakkar asserted, “While late Ms Sushma Swaraj emphasised the significance of effective governance for enabling women empowerment, the current ‘Brij Bhushan Janata Party’ (BJP) has solely been focused on dictating women's attire and restricting their access to public places, revealing their deeply hateful stance on women's rights.  They have ensured the release of those accused of heinous crimes against women such as Bilkis Bano, and have even gone so far as to dismiss incidents of rape, like Hathras, as part of an international conspiracy. The party's IT cell has been well known for threatening and abusing women online. The BJP-ruled Centre even provides financial support to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, a group notorious for continuing to deny education and other human rights to countless women. Women's empowerment must remain a fundamental tenet of good governance so we must take note of the message the current BJP-ruled central government conveys. The BJP endorses and perpetuates a culture that enables violence and abuse towards women. They have consistently encouraged, enabled, and supported rapists, instead of the innocent victims.”

Addressing the media during an important press conference on Thursday, Priyanka Kakkar raised questions about the dire consequences of the deteriorating law and order despite a prolonged internet shutdown in Manipur, which has persisted for nearly three months.

She stated, "The Brij Bhushan Janata Party had argued that the internet shutdown was imposed in Manipur to prevent rioters from coordinating and ensure public safety. However, this justification has been proven unequivocally false, as Manipur, an integral part of our country, remains engulfed in unending flames. Even the home of Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, a BJP union Minister, was torched. The Minister himself acknowledged that the BJP government has utterly failed to maintain law and order in the state. With such a statement coming from their own ranks, one must question their decision and motive for shutting down the internet.”

Priyanka Kakkar also drew attention to a heart-wrenching video which has gone viral on social media depicting two Kuki women being paraded naked by a mob in Manipur before their brutal gang rape. The video was shot on May 4 amid ethnic clashes in Manipur and was made social by the perpetrators. A Zero FIR recently registered in the case has charges of rape and murder against “unknown miscreants” numbering “800-1,000”. 

Priyanka Kakkar remarked, “It seems the internet has been shut down not to control law and order, as claimed, but to suppress the truth about the horrifying situation in Manipur. However, Prime Minister Modi has failed to even suppress the truth. To ensure justice, we demand a thorough investigation into the tragic incident, immediate punishment for the culprits for their heinous crimes, and accountability from the authorities. Think about the women, who will now live with trauma for the rest of their lives.”

The AAP Chief Spokesperson also questioned the timing of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on the viral Manipur video just ahead of the first day of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament when the united opposition is up in arms seeking answers from the government on Manipur violence.

Regarding Prime Minister Modi's delayed response, she questioned, "Was he waiting for a public outcry for 77 days to express his anger and pain? How could he not be aware of the situation in Manipur during the last 77 days? I want to know how will PM Modi ensure that justice is served for these innocent victims.”

Highlighting the flawed handling of the case, she criticised the lack of action against individuals who have been clearly identified in video evidence but have not been named in any official complaint. She asserted, “Despite 77 days having passed since the initial incident and the identities of the perpetrators being clearly visible in the viral video, the police have only registered a case against ‘unknown miscreants.’ PM Modi said today that the guilty will not be spared but he is a liar. Being a woman, I have no faith in the central government and the 'Brij Bhushan Janata Party.’ I want to ask PM Modi: How and against whom will action be taken?”

The AAP chief spokesperson called for transparency in the process by asking the Prime Minister to make the FIR in the said case public. She said that this would help ascertain whether any progress has actually been made in registering the case and taking appropriate actions. She also asked, “It is being told that this crime happened because one community spread rumours against another community. Has PM Modi taken any action against the rumourmonger so far?”

Priyanka Kakkar called for collective action to protect and seek justice for the victims in Manipur. She emphasised, “All of us need to urgently hold the current government accountable to avoid potential repercussions that could affect the lives of all ordinary citizens very soon. I urge all citizens to actively engage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media by tagging him and posing continuous questions about Manipur.”

Meanwhile, responding to a question from a journalist, she challenged the BJP’s claims of restoration of normalcy in Manipur and said that if true, restoring internet access in Manipur should be the BJP government's immediate priority.

Also Read: Assam TMC leaders Ripun, Sushmita Condemns Gruesome Manipur Incident