NEW DELHI: Christian priest Oswald Cardinal Gracias has said the ongoing ethnic violence in Manipur is a tribal and it is not a religious clash.
In a video clip shared by BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya on Twitter on Friday, he said, “A message from His Eminence, Oswald Cardinal Gracias, on the ongoing Ethnic Conflict in Manipur.”
The priest says in the undated video clip, “This is a tribal conflict. Two tribes, historically very hostile to each other… and it exploded into violence because of certain legislation which was passed. It has been given a religious twist but it is not a religious conflict between two religions. It is between two tribes. We must now not do anything that will worsen the situation."
Malviya pointed out the minor correction which was needed in the priest’s statement. He said, “Just a minor quibble: it wasn’t a legislation but a judicial pronouncement that led to the flare up.”
The priest’s remarks hold significance because it comes at a time when a section of social media is alleging that the conflict is between Hindu Meiteis and Christian Kukis.
His remarks are likely to help quell the rumours of the ethnic violence being of religious nature.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi attacked the Centre and women and child development minister Smriti Irani over the violence in the northeastern state raging since May 3.
In a number of tweets, she said, “The heinous incident of parading women naked and raping them from Manipur is from 4th May. The FIR was filed on 18th May. The Home Minister visited Manipur on 29th May for 3 days. Was he not briefed about this incident and some more just as heinous crimes?”
She said, “If the home minister was briefed, why was no action taken against the culprits till the video came in public domain and why did he not share it on the day of the all-party meeting held on 24th June? If he was kept in the dark, shouldn’t accountability come from the CM, state and central Intelligence? So many lapses in ensuring justice to the women and yet no action against anyone besides the man who shot the video!”
Commenting on Manipur governor Anusuiya Uike, Chaturvedi said she is a woman from the tribal community. President Droupadi Murmu is India’s first tribal woman in the seat of power. “However no report (has been) sought on the situation that prevails, no accountability sought, no public denouncement. Only deafening silence.”
Turning her attention to Irani, the Shiv Sena spokesperson said, “From the WCD website: Promoting social and economic empowerment of women through cross-cutting policies and programmers, mainstreaming gender concerns, creating awareness about their rights and facilitating institutional and legislative support for enabling them realise their human rights and develop to their full potential. Is the WCD minister now saying that women’s human rights being violated in Manipur is not her mandate? Okay then.”
