Observing that it was "deeply disturbed" by the video of two women being paraded naked in strife-torn Manipur, the Supreme Court said on Thursday using women as instruments for perpetrating violence is "simply unacceptable in a constitutional democracy".
Taking cognisance of the video, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud directed the Centre and Manipur government to take immediate remedial, rehabilitative and preventive steps and apprise it of the action taken.
The bench, also comprising Justices P S Narasimha and Manoj Misra, said the visuals shown in the media indicated gross constitutional violation and infraction of human rights.
"We are very deeply disturbed by the videos which have emerged yesterday about the way those two women were paraded in Manipur," the bench said.
"I think it is time that the government really steps in and takes action because this is simply unacceptable," the CJI said, adding, "We will give a little time to the government to act, otherwise we will take action if nothing is happening on the ground."
Justice Chandrachud observed using women as an instrument to perpetrate violence in an area of communal strife is disturbing and unacceptable.
"The court is deeply disturbed by the visuals which have appeared in the media since yesterday depicting the perpetration of sexual assault and violence on women in Manipur. What is portrayed in the media would indicate gross constitutional violations and infractions of human rights. Using women as instruments for perpetrating violence is simply unacceptable in a constitutional democracy," the bench said in its order.
It said the top court must be apprised of the steps which have been and shall be taken by the government to hold the perpetrators accountable and ensure that such incidents are not repeated.
"The Union government and the state government are directed to take immediate steps -- remedial, rehabilitative and preventive and to apprise the court of the action which has been taken before the next date of listing on affidavit," it said, adding, "The affidavits shall be filed by the Union home secretary and the chief secretary for the state of Manipur."
The bench said it is conscious of the fact that the video, which appeared on Wednesday, was of May 4 but that makes no difference.
As soon as the bench assembled to hear the mentioning of matters, the CJI said the apex court had requested Attorney General R Venkataramani and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to come to the court.
"What action has been taken since May to bring the perpetrators to book and second, what action is the government taking to ensure that this is not repeated because who knows, it may have been isolated, it may not be isolated, it may be a pattern," the CJI told the law officers.
He said in history and across the world, use of women as an instrument to perpetrate violence in these situations happens but in a "constitutional democracy, this is unacceptable."
Sharing the concern expressed by the CJI, Mehta said such incidents are indeed unacceptable.
Mehta said the government is also seriously concerned over the incident and he will apprise the court about the steps taken to bring the culprits to book and prevent recurrence of such incidents.
The bench, which took on board the pending pleas related to ethnic violence in Manipur, posted them for hearing on July 28.
Tension mounted in the hills of Manipur after a May 4 video surfaced on Wednesday showing two women from one of the warring communities being paraded naked by a few men from the other side.
The video was doing the rounds on the eve of a planned protest march announced by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF) on Thursday to highlight their plight.
At least 150 people have been killed and several hundred injured since ethnic violence broke out in the state on May 3, when a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the majority Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.
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