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Imphal journalist, who called Manipur CM a puppet of Modi, under NSA detention for over 100 days

KOLKATA: Arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) for calling his state’s chief minister a “puppet” of Narendra Modi , Manipur journalist Kisorechandra Wangkhem has spent more than a 100 days in prison. Since his arrest on November 19, life has completely changed for his wife, Ranjita Elangbam, and two daughters.




On International Women’s Day on Friday, Ranjita was felicitated in Imphal by Proletarian Feminist Movement, Manipur and Socialist Students’ Union of Manipur for “speaking out so bravely against the government and fighting for the rights of my husband”.

“Life has certainly changed so much for me. Until a few months ago, I would be preoccupied with my job and taking care of our family. Now, I have acquired more political awareness and try to follow whatever is happening around me,” remarked Ranjita, who works as a therapist in the district hospital in Thoubal.

“I have promised my elder daughter that her father will come home for their aunt’s (Ranjita’s sister) wedding on March 18. Now everything depends on the way the court gives verdict in his case,” said Ranjita as she recalled how her husband was picked up on sedition charges for allegedly uploading a video on Facebook critical of chief minister Biren Singh .

The video described Singh as a puppet of Modi for celebrating Rani Laxmibai’s birth anniversary. He was first arrested on November 19 and released in six days only to be sent to prison under NSA two days later.

Kishorechandra’s arrest drew criticisms from within and outside of Manipur but Biren justified the action taken against the journalist. “I can tolerate criticism but not humiliation of my leaders. He was abusing national heroes like Rani of Jhansi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is beyond freedom of expression,” said the CM, a former national-level footballer, who later served as an editor of a paper before joining politics.

On November 27 last year, Wangkhem was preparing to have lunch with his family when he was summoned to the Imphal West police station. Ranjita said she went to the police station separately and waited for a long time. Almost five hours later, in the evening, she went home to bring back some food and warm clothes. When she came back, she was told her husband had been arrested. Even their mobile phones were taken away so that they could be kept under observation. It was only later that she came to know that her husband had been booked under NSA.

The NSA advisory board subsequently recommended a jail term of one year, which is the maximum period for which one can be sentenced under provisions of the law. Ranjita was told that her husband has been booked under NSA as he was a habitual offender –– earlier last year, he had been arrested twice, once for “drunk-driving” and on another occasion when he referred to the BJP as “Budhu Joker Party” in a Facebook post.

Wangkhem then petitioned the Manipur high court , challenging the decision. The hearing of the case concluded on March 4 and the high court has reserved its judgment for now. The final verdict is expected within the next few days.

Ranjita said she felt betrayed by the silence of Manipur-based vernacular dailies even though “we received support from mainstream English-language media organizations and student bodies.” She added, “The need of the hour is to reach out to the people who do not read English language publications and have no access to social media platforms.”

Talking to TOI earlier, Ranjita had described her husband’s detention as a “dangerous precedent”. She said, “Rani Laxmibai’s birth anniversary was never celebrated in such a big way in Manipur, which many thought was a kind of cultural imposition. My husband only tried to point this out.” She added that Veewon Thokchom, a former president of Manipur Students’ Association Delhi (MSAD), was arrested because of his opposition to Kishorechandra’s incarceration.

Kishorechandra’s lawyer, S Chitaranjan, told TOI that he was hopeful of the court would give a judgment in favour of his client. If this happens, Wangkhem would be certainly back home for his sister-in-law’s wedding. And Ranjita would then get to keep the promise she had made to her daughter.

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