The months-long persecution of Christian tribes in Manipur, northern India, by members of the majority Hindu Meitei tribe became a topic of national outrage on Wednesday as a video went viral of a presumed Meitei mob parading two women through the streets naked, molesting and humiliating them in broad daylight.
The video caused such outrage that the Indian government rapidly moved to censor it and remove it from social media sites. It prompted Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has denied that any religious violence exists in his country, to address the ongoing Christian persecution in Manipur for the first time.
The incident, multiple Indian news outlets have confirmed in the last 24 hours, occurred on May 4, as Manipur erupted in anti-Christian riots. The Meiteis and Manipur’s other local tribes, most of whom are Christians, have long come into conflict over land ownership and political power. In May, thousands of members of the other tribes, spearheaded by efforts of the largest Christian Kuki-Zo community, organized a protest in response to the Meitei community asking the Hindu nationalist federal government for “scheduled tribe” status.
A “scheduled tribe” receives special privileges and services from the government, as it is considered underprivileged and in need. Opponents of the designation noted that the Meitei control Manipur’s most fertile lands and most powerful political positions, and thus should not qualify as needing the benefits of “scheduled tribe” status...........To Read More....
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