AMSU women wing demands Anti-Rape law
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 09 2018: Women wing of All Manipur Student Union (AMSU) submitted a memorandum against the increasing number of cases related to crime against women and children in the State in recent months under present State Government led by Chief Minister N Biren Singh and demanded the Government to pass a Bill and implement a law against rape in the upcoming July State Assembly session.

This was stated by Nongthongbam Bidyarani, convener of AMSU women wing during a press meet held at AMSU HQs today evening.

She stated that AMSU women wing' held a sit in protest at Keishampat Leimajam Leikai community hall against the increasing crime against women in the State during the last few months and carried out a silent protest rally to submit a memorandum to the Governor as well as to CM N Biren demanding implementation of a law against rape in the State at the earliest.

When the procession neared the Governor and CM Bunglow, some male police personnel of Imphal West tried to stop them from going forward, she said and added that no women police personnel could be seen.

During the confrontation with the police, three AMSU women wing volunteers were injured and rushed to the hospital for treatment, she claimed.

Bidyarani condemned the act of handling the silent protest rally of AMSU women wing by male police personnel and demanded proper action against the male police personnel involved.

She further said that their silent protest is a genuine protest demanding the passing of a law in the upcoming State Legislative Assembly (July) against the increasing number of crime against women in recent months.

From January till today, there have been 14 cases of crime against women in the State, out of which 12 cases fall under Prevention Of Children from Sexual Offence (POCSO) Act 2012, she added.

Bidyarani said that as per the memorandum, AMSU women wing asked whether the Fast Track Court established by the CM is responsible for only dealing with old cases or is also meant for dealing with the newly emerging cases of crime against women and children in the State and mentioned that the association has failed to observe any of the recent case being transferred or handled by the Fast Track Court.

Bidyarani further asked how long the present Government will take to establish Fast Track Courts in all the districts to fight the increasing number of crime against women and children in the State.

She also asked the State Government whether it has taken up any steps to form a policy or a Bill like the Bill passed at Madhya Pradesh Assembly in December last year, with a provision to award death sentence to those found guilty of committing rape of girls under 12 years of age, which was given assent by the President of India.

Bidyarani said that the memorandum submitted to the CM demanded the State Government to establish an anti rape law or policy, by assuring death penalty or life imprisonment for committing such crime against women and children in the State, during the upcoming July Assembly session.

The memorandum also appealed for establishing Fast Track Courts in all the districts of Manipur, to provide special training on crime against women and children, gender and human rights based approach in general, to the police personnel (particularly the women police personnel) while dealing with women and children related cases, to establish a monitoring cell similar to Anti Corruption Cell for dealing with women and children related cases (and having experts from the field of women and child related fields, student bodies, retired Judge, police and other CSOs).

Bidyarani further said that the Chief Minister responded positively to its demand to pass a Bill during the July Assembly session.

However, she warned that AMSU women wing will launch various forms of agitation until the present Government pass such a law and implement the same.

AMSU women wing will organise a number of workshops and awareness programmes, she added.

On the other hand, Bidyarani expressed dissatisfaction at the present State Government remaining silent regarding the acid attack incident on a woman on November 29 and choosing to act only when it received pressure from the public.

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