'How can such barbarity, bestiality, happen in modern India?'
"We are appealing to all the people of Manipur, to all the communities across the political spectrum because the past history of Manipur has taught us that justice or any solution will never come from the barrels of the gun; it will come only through dialogue across the table," Dinganglung Gangmei, a former IAS officer and the BJP MLA from Manipur's Nungba constituency, tells Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com in the aftermath of the national outrage over the horrific video showing Kuki women being paraded naked and allegedly raped by men from the Meitei community.
Gangmei, a Naga, retired as an IAS officer in 2021 and joined the BJP to contest and win the 2022 assembly election from Manipur's Nungba.
How do you react to the video of Kuki women being paraded naked and allegedly raped by Meitei men on May 4 in Manipur? What does it tell you about the law and order machinery in Manipur?
(Not just the women in the video but) Humanity has been paraded (naked). I am utterly ashamed (about what happened in the video) and my conscience -- just like India's -- has been shattered.
How can such barbarity, bestiality, happen in modern India?
Humanity has lost. People have become insane. Hatred has taken over.
What do I say more?
How does this video clip reflect on the extent to which one community can harm the other community so disgustingly, so inhumanly?
I think it will take some time for the understanding to come (between the Meiteis and Kukis) and for the state to spring back to normalcy. All this mistrust will take some time to die down because things have gone beyond control.
Do you fear this is just one of the videos and that many more could surface in the days ahead?
The incident took place on May 4 in Manipur's Nongpok Semai in Kangpokpi district.
One main culprit has been arrested and I think (the arrest of) lot more people is underway. The investigation is going on and the state government has launched a manhunt to nab all the culprits. I think in a few hours or few days we will come to know how many culprits have been arrested. It's (who the culprits are) very evident in the videos.
Will it be a fair investigation because many allege that the perpetrators of this crime belong to the majority community and they allege that the state government is with the majority community?
Our honourable prime minister (Narendra D Modi) has assured that the guilty will not be spared and nobody who is responsible for such reprehensible act will be forgiven.
Investigation will be fair and all the law enforcement agencies or officials, who are in charge, have to perform the duty with utmost sincerity and seriousness so that the culprits are booked and brought to justice.
Many people from Manipur and political leaders across political spectrum are criticising the prime minister because he did not make the statement on the situation in Manipur in Parliament and he did not unequivocally condemn the violence in the state? Do you agree with such criticism of the prime minister?
He's made it in front of the media. As far as the situation in Manipur is concerned, I think the honourable prime minister has taken good care of the situation by sending our honourable home minister (Amit A Shah) three days here (Shah was in Manipur between May 29 and June 2) and took all the necessary steps (to ensure peace in the state).
Without knowing the reality I don't think the government could have given any statement. But now the honourable prime minister has spoken and I think all these perpetrators or all these criminals will be booked.
Do you think the prime minister should also make a statement about the situation in Manipur in Parliament?
I hope so. He has done that today (on July 20) in the morning (before the media) and he will give whatever (instructions to) the government and some authorised person from the government side will put the point across on the floor of the house.
But as a prime minister who is considered a very powerful and authoritative person in India, would you expect more from him?
People respect him. People respect him because people expect justice, and he has delivered on that front always, and we all are depending on him and hope that in Manipur also justice will be done. Especially the tribals here, the minorities here (in Manipur) look forward to the honourable prime minister to take utmost care of their rights.
We expect and we are 100 per cent hopeful that the honourable prime minister is with us.
Are you just hopeful or are you sure about it?
I'm pretty sure like on many previous occasions this time also the prime minister will deal with all the issues confronting the tribals (of Manipur).
Why isn't the violence stopping yet in the state?
It is very difficult to bridge the divide (between the majority Meiteis and minority Kukis and other tribals) which is almost permanent now and given this situation it's very difficult to have a dialogue and compromise with conflicting groups.
Yet the prime minister sent 30,000 paramilitary forces and took good care from the government side to tackle the situation. The situation is difficult to control here because there are so many elements involved here -- the porous border between Manipur and Myanmar, involvement of local political interests.
What's the hope for the people of Manipur then? Where do you see hope coming from?
Just while the situation was improving slowly and limping back to normalcy, this video leak has cropped up and it's completely shaken the conscience of the people. This incident now has really hurt the sentiments of the people (of Manipur).
We need to handle this situation with maturity and repose our faith in the law enforcement agencies and then these agencies should be very careful and not let down the people who are seeking justice.
Do you believe the video was leaked to spoil the peace that is coming back to Manipur slowly as you said? Was it done on purpose?
I somehow suspect this (that the video has been leaked to disturb the peace in the valley again) and that theory is gaining ground now because one wonders how this video could remain under wraps for almost three months (between May 4 when the incident occurred and July 20 when the video was leaked) and surface only now.
By now do you mean that the video was leaked purposely to coincide with the monsoon session of Parliament?
As I condemn the incident unequivocally, I believe the timing of releasing of this clip has some political motivation and interest.
There is talk about the BJP MLAs from Manipur's hill areas resigning en masse not only as lawmakers but also from the BJP.
That information is wrong. We never had any discussion about the resignations (of the BJP MLAs from the hills and other tribal allies of the government) in the (Hill Area) Committee of which I am the chairman. We all in the Committee (HAC) are united.
The video incident has got nothing to do with one community or the other. It is a heinous crime against humanity.
So you are also seeing it as a law and order problem, not as ethnic cleansing as other BJP MLAs from the hills are claiming?
There are lots of narratives going on, but I don't subscribe to all those narratives. We all have single citizenship; we call it Indian citizenship. We do have our own distinct cultural identities, but in law, as per the Constitution, we all are citizens of India.
India's laws apply equally to all the citizens of India.
How hopeful are you about peace returning to Manipur?
We are hopeful. We are hopeful. We are appealing to all the people of Manipur, to all the communities across political spectrum because the past history of Manipur has taught us that justice or any solution will never come from the barrels of the gun; it will come only through dialogue across the table.
We should put our heads together to ensure secure future of all Indian citizens.
