'Is It This New India We Want?': TMC Questions PM Modi's Fresh NDA Full Form Over Manipur Issue

To express their solidarity towards the women of Manipur who were harassed during the ethnic violence, members of Trinamool Mahila Congress staged a protest march in Siliguri.

The members of Trinamool Mahila Congress on Saturday took to the streets of Siliguri and staged a protest over atrocities against women in Manipur. TMC leader Chandrima Bhattacharya said that women in protest are wearing unique clothes which are “mostly similar” to the dress that women in Manipur wear. She said that TMC is expressing solidarity towards the women of Manipur who were, she added, brutally attacked during the ethnic violence for which no steps have been taken by the prime minister. 

Bhattacharya said that PM Narendra Modi should see the condition of women in Manipur and take proper steps. Mentioning the new abbreviation coined by Prime Minister Modi for the NDA she said the “aspiration” has been given to the people who assault and get away with it. 

PM Modi’s new full form of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is - New India, Developed Nation, Aspiration of People of India.

When questioned if this was politicising the issue of Manipur, she said that it was not about politicising the issue instead, it is about the harassment and assault on women. Currently, all women stand united, she added. She further said that they wanted to express their solidarity towards all Manipuri women. 

"This is a dress mostly similar to the dress that women in Manipur wear. Today, we are expressing solidarity with women of Manipur who were brutally attacked. We demand that the PM take action. This is not about politicising the issue. The PM says this is New India, is this the new India where women are attacked...Women stand united," she added.

On Friday, Brinda Karat of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) said that the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) had visited the strife-torn Manipur from August 9-11 and had submitted a report to President Droupadi Murmu highlighting the sexual assault of women which has been subjected to political gains.

“We met the President. We handed over the full report of our Manipur visit. In the memorandum, we highlighted the sexual assault of women that was politicised. The politics that Chief Minister and the BJP were given details about. She (President) was concerned about the plight of women in the state,” the CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, as per ANI