New Delhi/Imphal : Senior CPI(M) leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Brinda Karat on Monday described the death of a young Kuki Scheduled Tribe woman, who had survived a brutal gang rape during the Manipur violence, as a “national shame”, holding the state and justice system responsible for failing to deliver accountability nearly two years after the crime.

The survivor, who was abducted, gang raped and left for dead amid the ethnic unrest in Manipur, succumbed to prolonged medical complications without seeing the perpetrators brought to justice. Karat said the woman had been “victimised twice” – first by the politics of hatred that fuelled the violence, and later by an administrative and judicial system that failed to act with urgency.

Alleging that the political climate fostered by the RSS-BJP had created an atmosphere of division and impunity, Karat said armed groups were allowed to operate without fear, enabling such crimes to take place during the conflict. “This environment emboldened the perpetrators and stripped victims of any sense of protection,” she said.

Despite suffering severe injuries and long-term trauma, the survivor continued to pursue justice with the support of her family, Karat noted, even as investigations and accountability moved at a slow pace. “Her death without justice is a damning indictment of our administrative and judicial institutions,” she said, adding that prolonged delay had cost the survivor not only dignity but ultimately her life.

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

Calling the family’s loss “an unbearable second tragedy”, Karat extended her condolences and reiterated solidarity with 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 attention on the handling of sexual violence cases linked to the Manipur conflict, raising fresh questions over political responsibility, accountability and the human cost of prolonged inaction.

Promotional | North East Integration Rally