Manipur video: DCW chief Swati Maliwal’s emotional meet with families of victims

Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal on Tuesday met with the families of the two women who were paraded naked in Manipur on May 4, a video of which went viral last week.

“Met the family of the daughters who were victims of brutality in Manipur… their tears would not let me sleep for a long time,” Maliwal tweeted as she shared a video of their interaction. “Till now no one has come to meet them,” she added.

In the video, Maliwal could be seen hugging a woman from the family of the victim and consoling her. Hitting out at Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh and other officials of the government, Maliwal questioned why no one came to meet the victims till now. “I met the families of the two daughters of Manipur who were brutalised. A girl’s husband protected the borders of the country while being a soldier. He told me that till now no one has come to meet him, I am the first one to reach him,” she tweeted.

“Met the mother of the other girl as well. When I can reach here without security then why hasn’t the CM or the rest of the administration come till now?” she added.

After meeting the victims’ families, the women panel’s chief visited the relief camp at Moirang and pointed out that people including women and children are living there in “difficult” conditions.

Maliwal arrived in the ethnic strife-torn state on Sunday afternoon and said that by visiting Manipur, she does not want to indulge in politics but assist the people. Maliwal said she would appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union minister for women and child development Smriti Irani to visit the state to look into people’s suffering.

Maliwal said she has also urged the Manipur chief minister for an urgent meeting during her visit. “Sought time from Manipur CM. Will meet him and request him to come along to visit the sexual assault survivors,” she tweeted on Sunday.