The media circus has thrust these women into the spotlight, and all stories that should have been at the top of the news line-up have vanished. In no way can the cases of Anju and Seema be linked to national identities. This is not the only instance of a sexist attitude towards women.

Let me now tell you what I felt last week.

A lovely rainy morning transformed into one of misery for me when I stumbled across a video from Manipur showing what was done to two women by a mob. These women were into a position of helplessness, but the video also permanently exposed them in front of the entire world. This is not new. It always has disastrous repercussions.

Let me cite an instance from history to further affirm my point. Historians disagree on whether the great king Prithviraj Chauhan abducted Samyogita or she went on her own accord with him. This episode undoubtedly made Samyogita’s father, Raja Jaichand, feel immensely humiliated. He was so offended as to not hesitate to join Mohammad Ghori’s camp. What happened afterwards is well known.

Prithviraj Chauhan was obviously a superb fighter, but his defeat laid the groundwork for India’s servitude. If only this had not occurred.

Unfortunately, such occurrences are unavoidable. This is the reason why the violence in Manipur could not be stopped. The third month of the spread of disquiet, discontent, and estrangement is about to be completed. There have been 150 fatalities so far, and thousands are now homeless. Feeling compassion for the hundreds of victims of blind hysteria, the question definitely arises in the mind as to why did they have to become the object of anger of their neighbours in their own country? There is another point that makes my heart hurt. Manipur’s felony involving the women happened on May 4. The government and the Women’s Commission may have been blindfolded, but why did the regional and opposition parties remain silent on this? There may be a network of their workers and activists in Manipur. Why did they forget that, regardless of who is in power today, society and the country belong to everyone?

This is why the politics around this topic generates so many concerns. How long will politicians be in a rat race to prove that they are cleaner than others? Those in power today were in Opposition the day before. The Opposition of today may come to power tomorrow, but defending India and Indians is not the responsibility of any single party. When can our political class muster the fortitude to speak with one voice on such an issue?

There is another sad element of the happenings in Manipur! The husband of one of the women who was publicly humiliated had served in the Army as a soldier. He risked his life in the Kargil conflict and in Sri Lanka to fight for India’s honour and fame. This time around he had no choice but to witness his wife’s humiliation. During the celebration of “Victory Day” on July 26, many people wondered, “Do we give respect to our soldiers like this?”

Social media mercenaries have also played a significant role in igniting this fire. The army and the police are planning to take action after a video surfaced showing a man in uniform assaulting a woman. What effect would such falsified videos or posts have on our brave hearts? Only sensitive people can comprehend this question.

The main reason for saying this is that there is a concern in the Northeast that the fires in Manipur might spread to Mizoram and neighbouring areas. That is why it is critical to put a stop to the current storm of ethnic rivalry. The flames of such a fire may find new fuel at any moment and in any place.

Shashi Shekhar is editor-in-chief, Hindustan. The views expressed are personal.