Amid uproar of the viral video from Manipur showing two women being paraded naked, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday broke the silence to assure the nation that the perpetrators won't be spared.
The Prime Minister was speaking ahead of Parliament's Monsoon Session.
"We will never forgive those who are behind this… I assure the nation, no guilty will be spared. The law will take its course with all its might. What happened with the daughters of Manipur can never be forgiven," Modi told reporters.
"My heart is filled with pain and anger. The incident from Manipur that has come before us is shameful for any civilised society. I urge all the CMs to further strengthen law and order in their states - especially for the security of women and take the strongest measures. Be it any incident in Rajasthan or Chhattisgarh or Manipur or any corner of the country - rise above politics..."
The PM's statement comes 77 days after the incident. The women were reportedly gangraped and paraded naked on May 4, a day after clashes broke out between the valley-majority Meitei and the hill-majority Kuki tribe in the BJP-ruled state.
Modi also urged the lawmakers to utilise the Monsoon Session to discuss public welfare issues. "Today, when we are meeting in the holy month of Sawan in this temple of democracy...I am confident that all the MPs, together, will use this for the maximum welfare of people and carry out their responsibilities as MPs."
Several Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs have demanded discussions on the incident amid rising tension in the northeastern state.
"I believe that all the honourable Members of Parliament together will make maximum use of this session in the public interest. Discussion plays a significant role; the sharper the discussion, the better the decisions are made that give far-reaching results in the public interest."
He also spoke about the importance of the personal data protection bill, one of the 31 bills on the agenda of the government.
