Mumtaz Alam | India Tomorrow
New Delhi, Dec 20: Several senior journalists, a former judge of Supreme Court and political parties have condemned targeting of a Manipur journalist by the state BJP government for criticising the Chief Minister. They have posted their comments on social media platforms.
Kishorechandra Wangkhem, a 45-year-old staff reporter of a local cable network, ISTV, who was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) in last week of November by the BJP-led coalition government in Manipur, has been sentenced to a 12-month jail term by a local court. The court sentencing came after he was arrested a second time within 24 hours over a Facebook post in which he had mocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren calling Biren the “puppet” of Modi. His first arrest was also for attacking the BJP.
Outrageous assault on media freedom. Using the National Security Act when the courts say the cops don’t have a case is nothing but the abuse of law. https://t.co/pwoPhGJdEo via @thewire_in
— Siddharth (@svaradarajan) December 18, 2018
Reacting over the arrest of the journalist under NSA, senior journalist and Founder Editor of The Wire, Siddharth Varadarajan said: “Outrageous assault on media freedom. Using the National Security Act when the courts say the cops don’t have a case is nothing but the abuse of law.”
An absolute shocker: shame on the Manipur Govt.. how can they be allowed to get away like this? https://t.co/ScmvtWrt0j
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) December 20, 2018
Another senior journalist and popular TV anchor Rajdeep Sardesai commented: “An absolute shocker: shame on the Manipur Govt. How can they be allowed to get away like this?”
An absolute shocker: shame on the Manipur Govt.. how can they be allowed to get away like this? https://t.co/ScmvtWrt0j
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) December 20, 2018
Journalist Kanchan Gupta demanded the state government to drop the charges against the journalist. “Unless there is more to this story, a wise State Govt would drop charges and set him free. Bluster on Facebook is not a crime.”
Shivam Vij said: “You won’t see an organised movement to free this man because his name is Kishorechandra Wangkhemcha, not Abhijit Iyer Mitra.” He was referring to Odisha journalist Mitra who was also arrested and sent to jail for some controversial remarks but was later released after huge media outcry.
Renowned Video blogger Dhruv Rathee said: “We have a bunch of cowards and wannabe dictators in our Govt. A journalist criticized BJP and they arrested him under “National Security Act”. Court has already said that the language he used was not foul and it was only a “mere expression of opinion”.
Meanwhile, Congress party has also targeted the BJP government.
“The Modi govt. is wielding the National Security Act as a weapon against free speech, specifically targeting journalists & marginalised communities,” tweeted the party.
Former Supreme Court judge Justice Markandey Katju has written an open letter to Chief Justice of Manipur High Court and requested him to consider it as a letter petition. In the letter, he termed the sentencing of the Manipur journalist under NSA as “flagrant violation of Articles 19(1)(a)” which guarantees freedom of speech to all Indian citizens.
“My Lord, the judiciary is the guardian of the fundamental rights of the people. You have taken an oath to uphold the Constitution. Please don’t just ignore this flagrant violation of the rights of the people…”, urged Justice Katju.
