Priyanka Chopra and Akshay Kumar to Jaya Bachchan and Anupam Kher, celebrities have reacted strongly to the viral videos from Manipur, which showed two tribal women being paraded naked and molested by a group of men. Now, veteran actor-filmmaker Aparna Sen has reacted to the videos. At a recent event, she asked how can ‘this type of violence’ happen in a democracy. Also read: Manipur video has ‘shaken everyone’s soul’, celebs say
During the event, she also questioned politicians, and called every political party ‘corrupt’. Aparna further spoke about her open letter to West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, blaming her for the recent poll-related violence in the state.
Aparna Sen on Manipur
“I am speechless. I just cannot think of this, I don’t believe this type of violence can happen. I don’t realise this. How can this happen in a democracy? It’s going on and on. I will say that every political party should be aware, they are all corrupt. What can I say about Manipur? I am speechless. My heart is broken. I don’t know why the PM has not said anything before Thursday. I don’t know,” Aparna said, as per a new India Today report.
On Bengal poll violence
Aparna Sen has also written an open letter to Mamata Banerjee, holding her government responsible for the violence in the recent panchayat polls in West Bengal. In her letter, Aparna put the number of deaths at 52.
She said, “I don’t know what the future of West Bengal is, but I can say it is dark. The change was needed at the time of CPIM. But apart from this, TMC is doing something else now. I have written one open letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Condemning the violence and deaths during polls, she added, “I don’t know if it will work or not. It is sad that a lot of people have died in West Bengal because of the poll. It is hard to comment. All the officers, police, and administration should be aware.”
Open letter to Mamata Banerjee
Aparna had reportedly read out the letter at the recent event organised by the Association for Protection of Democratic Rights in Kolkata.
Addressing Mamata, Aparna had said, as per The Telegraph, “You are the chief minister and home minister of West Bengal. Without overseeing the constitutional responsibility of the election commission, one can definitely say that the panchayat poll-centered killings and anarchy were primarily the responsibility of the West Bengal government and you. You cannot deny this responsibility as the home minister of West Bengal.”