Manipur, the north-eastern state that has seen unprecedented violence in the last two months, has stunned the country. The horrifying video of two women paraded naked and sexually assaulted exposes the government's failure to restore peace and normalcy in the troubled state. According to reports, the horrific incident that shook the nation's conscience was preceded by the spread of a malicious fake news story.
This dreadful act reflects the grave consequences of misinformation and the government's inability to protect its citizens.
The heinous crime has also revealed the decay and infirmities within our society, which claims to share a common ethos, diverse cultural components, and beliefs. It is not the first incident in a remote part of India, but we should all be ashamed of the countless spine-chilling incidents that occur throughout the country, some of which even go unreported.
The situation necessitates immediate punitive action against the perpetrators, as well as measures to end this lawlessness, check the malicious fake news industry, restore peace and confidence among the people, and objectively determine the root causes of the Manipur crisis.
The incident emphasises the critical importance of both media literacy and government accountability in combating the growing threat of fake news in our society. Although the incident occurred two months ago, it was only recently that the incident surfaced after the lifting of internet suspension. In Manipur, a false rumour spread on social media platforms and messaging apps, claiming that the two Kuki women were involved in the kidnapping of a Meitei child. The unverified news quickly gained traction, fuelled by the region's lack of fact-checking and responsible journalism. As the rumour spread, an enraged mob took matters into their own hands, triggering a chain of events that would forever mark the women's lives. A hysterical mob confronted the two Kuki women on May 3 and subjected them to an unimaginable ordeal. The mob, fuelled by rage and misinformation, stripped the women of their dignity by parading them naked through crowded streets. The incident was not only a serious violation of their human rights, but it also served as a stark reminder of the devastation caused by fake news in an already sensitive and vulnerable region.
After the Manipur incident surfaced, the politicians of all hues, human rights activists, and all sort of intellectual, citizenry demanded immediate action from the government as well as social media platforms. To avoid such incidents in the future, the government must take concrete steps to strengthen law enforcement and improve emergency response mechanisms.
Unfortunately, India's political culture will never let a serious crisis go to waste. Politicians have begun to preach and make political statements about the heinous incidents and riots in order to gain political capital out of them.
The need of the hour is to avoid partisan remarks about the riots, instead focusing on condemnation and the importance of restoring order. However, ideology and party politics have returned. No politician and no state can claim to be holy cow as numerous such horrifying incidents had happened in their stewardship – may it be West Bengal, UP, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan so on and so forth thus they have no moral right to raise accusing finger on any political party as this a common characteristic of Indian Politicians. The prime need is to overcome such savage disposition of various components of our society. Our collective approach should be striving for a social renaissance.
Despite the growing threat of misinformation, the government took no proactive measures to combat the spread of fake news in the state. Because there are no regulatory frameworks in place to prevent the spread of false information, while the population is vulnerable to manipulation and violence. Furthermore, the failure of law enforcement agencies to intervene quickly and control the mob reveals a deep-seated problem of inadequacy in ensuring citizens' safety and security.
To ensure justice for the victims, those responsible for the heinous act must be held accountable through a fair and transparent legal process.
