Manipur violence: Swati Maliwal meets assaulted BJP MLA Valte, claims ‘he was given electric shocks

In a distressing incident that occurred in early May, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Vungzagin Valte from Manipur was brutally assaulted by a mob in Imphal, leaving him paralyzed and in dire need of help.

However, his plea for assistance was largely unheeded until recently when Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal intervened and sought help from BJP president JP Nadda.

The attack on MLA Vungzagin Valte took place on May 4, when he was on his way home after attending a meeting called by Chief Minister Biren Singh. Violence erupted in the state following a 'Tribal Solidarity March' organized in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. The Meiteis, who constitute about 53 percent of Manipur's population and reside primarily in the Imphal Valley, clashed with the tribal communities, including Nagas and Kukis, who make up 40 percent and live in the hill districts.

During the attack, Valte suffered electric shocks that resulted in paralysis, and he was subsequently airlifted to a Delhi hospital for treatment. Despite the significant expenses incurred for his medical care, the MLA's full recovery remains uncertain. Currently, Valte is mostly bedridden, with limited ability to communicate or perform basic tasks such as bathing, eating, and using the restroom.

Swati Maliwal's intervention came after she visited Manipur and met with Valte and his family. Expressing her concern over the lack of attention from prominent leaders and ministers, she penned a letter to BJP president JP Nadda, seeking aid for the injured MLA and his family. Maliwal also questioned the Chief Minister's absence in meeting the families of women who were subjected to public humiliation in the same incident, demanding Biren Singh's resignation.

Responding to some national media reports that the state government neglected Valte, Minister of Information and Public Relations Sapam Ranjan clarified that the government had been taking good care of the MLA since his admission to the hospital.

The incident involving MLA Vungzagin Valte and the appalling video of two women being paraded naked by a mob in Manipur on May 4 brought renewed national attention to the ongoing violence in the state. Over the course of nearly three months, the violence has claimed more than 160 lives and left hundreds injured.

Swati Maliwal, in her appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Union Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani, urged them to visit Manipur and address the escalating situation. She further emphasized the urgency of the matter, suggesting that the Centre should take control to prevent further deterioration.