“Arrest is just face-saver…”: Shiv Sena’s (UBT) Priyanka Chaturvedi on Manipur incident


Raising questions over Police action in the nearly three-month-old video of two women being paraded naked by a mob in Manipur, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP, Priyanka Chaturvedi, on Friday said that the arrests in this case is just a “face-saver to show that there exists a law and order”.

She also said that the police are taking action only after the video went viral and not after an FIR was lodged in the matter on May 18. “The FIR was lodged on May 18 and it was a zero FIR. I’m sure that the police had this video but, from May 18 till this date, we are sitting idle without taking any action on it. Now they have taken action because the video has been leaked and got viral,” Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said.

She said, “Biren Singh himself stated yesterday that around 100 FIRs similar to this have been registered so far… what about the other 100 women and their FIRs?”

“Now the arrest, in this case, is just a face-saver to show that there exists a law and order,” Chaturvedi said.

However, as per the latest development, four people, including the main culprit, have been arrested in the matter.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Thursday morning, took note of the distressing video while addressing the media ahead of the beginning of the monsoon session of parliament.

He said that he is pained over the incident and said the incident is “shameful for any civil society”.

“No accused will be spared, we will never forgive those who are behind this,” the Prime Minister said.

The incident also rocked the Parliament Monsoon session’s first day, with proceedings of both Houses affected.

With the Opposition members in both Houses adamant about a discussion on Manipur, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day while the Rajya Sabha was adjourned twice.

The Upper House was first adjourned till 12 noon following obituary references, and then, till 2 pm, over the Opposition demanding a discussion on the Manipur situation.

Amid similar bedlam, the proceedings in the Lok Sabha were suspended till 2 pm following obituary references.

Amid continued chants and slogan-shouting from the Opposition benches, the Lower House was adjourned for the day, later.

Opposition members demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi issue a statement in the Lower House, adding that the government should suspend all other listed businesses and discuss the situation in Manipur.

The government said it was willing to discuss Manipur for a short duration.

Demanding a detailed discussion on Manipur in the Rajya Sabha, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien said, “We want a discussion on Manipur. PM Modi has to open his mouth on Manipur.

He added that the discussion on the prevailing state of affairs in the Northeast state should be conducted under the 267 rule.

The second day of the Monsoon Session of the Parliament commenced at 11 am. However, proceedings in both houses were adjourned within half an hour following protests by opposition MPs over their demand for a discussion on the situation in Manipur by suspending other business of the day.