Death of Manipur gang rape survivor a national shame: Rajya Sabha MP Brinda Karat

Senior CPI(M) leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Brinda Karat on January 19 said the death of a young Kuki Scheduled Tribe woman, who survived a brutal gang rape during the Manipur violence, was a “national shame”, underscoring the failure of the state and justice system nearly two years after the crime.

The survivor, who had been abducted, gang raped and left for dead amid the ethnic conflict in Manipur, succumbed to prolonged medical complications without seeing justice delivered. Karat said the woman had been “victimised twice” — first by politics that fuelled hatred and violence, and then by a system that failed to act with urgency.

Karat blamed the political climate fostered by the RSS–BJP, alleging it created an atmosphere of division and impunity that allowed armed groups to operate without fear. She said this environment emboldened the perpetrators and enabled the crime to take place during the unrest that tore through the state.

Despite severe injuries and lasting trauma, the survivor continued to pursue justice with the support of her family, Karat said, even as investigations and accountability moved slowly. “Her death without justice is a damning reflection on our administrative and judicial institutions,” she said, adding that the delay had cost the survivor not just dignity, but ultimately her life.

A member of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) politburo and former general secretary of the All India Democratic Women’s Association, Karat has been closely involved in documenting cases of sexual violence during the Manipur crisis. She said she had met members of the survivor’s family during a visit to the state with AIDWA leaders.

Calling the family’s loss “an unbearable second tragedy”, Karat extended condolences and reiterated support for their continued demand for justice. “She was not only a daughter of Manipur, but a daughter of India,” she said.

The survivor’s death has renewed national focus on the handling of sexual violence cases during the Manipur conflict, with fresh questions being raised about political responsibility, accountability, and the human cost of prolonged inaction.