DCW chief to visit Manipur as planned

New Delhi: Swati Maliwal, the chief of the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), claimed on Saturday that the Manipur government had refused to allow her to visit the state to meet with victims of sexual assault. However, on Sunday, Maliwal announced that she would be travelling to the conflict-torn state of Manipur.

In a tweet on Sunday, Maliwal said she has written to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh seeking an urgent meeting with him during her visit. She is expected to reach Imphal by 12 noon.

“Manipur Govt recommended I consider postponing my visit due to law and order situation. After deliberation on their suggestion, have decided to fly to Imphal as planned. Sought time from Manipur CM. Will meet him & request him to come along to visit the sexual assault survivors,” Maliwal tweeted.

Maliwal also shared a copy of a letter written to the Manipur chief minister on Sunday in which she urged him to facilitate her visit while ensuring that she will not do anything to create problems for the state government.

“I seek an urgent meeting with your hon’ble self to discuss the extremely pertinent issue of the human rights violations and sexual assault cases occurring in Manipur… Several Manipuri women have come to Delhi in order to escape the ongoing violence in the state. I wish to discuss issues regarding their welfare as well with your hon’ble self,” she said in the letter.

She also sought the CM’s support in visiting the violence-affected relief camps where the victims of sexual assault are presently staying.

“I request you to kindly issue directions to the officers to facilitate my visit. As a fellow citizen of this country and the head of a statutory body protecting women and girls, I appeal to your hon’ble self to aid me in providing help and support to the sisters of Manipur. I assure you that I shall not be doing anything that creates a problem for your government during my visit to the state,” she added.

“I assure you that I shall leave no stone unturned to support the Manipur Government in its mandate to protect the rights and dignity of the women and girls of the state,” she said.

Maliwal said the video of inhuman atrocities against women and girls in Manipur has shocked the nation and she wished to ascertain their wellbeing and provide support to them.

The DCW chief said she had written to Singh on July 20 and then to the chief of Manipur Police on July 21 regarding her visit to the state to interact with survivors of sexual violence.

“A letter dated 21.07.2023 was sent to DM Imphal who forwarded the same to Joint Secretary (Home) with the request to provide necessary support to the undersigned (Maliwal) and her team. The DM also gave us the contact numbers of the Joint Secretary (Home) who confirmed to us that we can travel to Manipur and he shall provide the necessary support to us in visiting the relief camps. Subsequently, we planned our travel to Imphal,” Maliwal said in the letter.

“However, suddenly we received an email from the Joint Secretary (Home) requesting us to consider postponing our visit in view of the current law and order situation in Manipur,” she said.

Manipur Police has arrested five men and apprehended a juvenile in connection with the May 4 parading of two women naked in the Kangpokpi district of the state, officials said on Saturday.

With PTI inputs