Manipur women paraded naked: Govt asks Twitter, other social media platforms to prevent circulation of video

The Centre on Thursday issued an order to micro blogging platform Twitter as well as other social media platforms, instructing them not to share the viral video of the two Manipuri women being paraded nude, news agency ANI reported citing government sources.

"It is imperative for social media platforms to adhere to Indian laws as the matter is currently under investigation," the sources added.

Violence-hit Manipur saw a fresh outrage 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. Police said a case of abduction, gang rape and murder has been registered at Nongpok Sekmai police station in Thoubal district against unknown armed miscreants, news agency PTI reported.

Meanwhile, Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani has said that she has spoken to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, who in turn assured her that no effort will be spared to bring perpetrators to justice.

"The horrific video of sexual assault of 2 women emanating from Manipur is condemnable and downright inhuman. Spoke to CM @NBirenSingh ji who has informed me that investigation is currently underway & assured that no effort will be spared to bring perpetrators to justice," she said in a tweet.

Earlier today, the Congress slammed the Centre over the situation in Manipur and asked when will the Narendra Modi government stop acting like "all is well". The party also sought to know when will Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh be replaced.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said it has been 78 days since a full-scale ethnic violence broke out in Manipur and 77 days since the ghastly incident where two women were stripped, paraded and allegedly raped.

It has been 63 days since an FIR was filed against unknown persons and the culprits are still at large, he said.

"The rest of India had little clue that such a horrific incident occurred due to the ongoing Internet ban in Manipur. But it's absolutely unforgivable that the Women and Child Development Minister (Smriti Irani) waited for 76 days to speak to the Manipur CM or even issue a statement," Ramesh said in his long Twitter post.

Also Read: 'Barbarism normalised...': Opposition attacks BJP over viral video of women being paraded naked