Manipur Journalist Jailed For A Year, Called Chief Minister PM's "Puppet"

A Manipur journalist was sentenced to a year's detention under the National Security Act today, nearly a month after he was taken into custody for allegedly targeting the ruling BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a social media post.

According to the government, 39-year-old Kishorechandra Wangkhem was initially detained on November 27 to "prevent him from acting in any matter prejudicial to the security of the state and maintenance of public order". The reason for his detention was a Facebook video that showed him criticising Chief Minister N Biren Singh as well as PM Modi.

The video reportedly had Mr Wangkhem calling Mr Singh a "puppet" of PM Modi and the RSS for organising a function meant to mark the birth anniversary of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi despite the Rajput queen having nothing to do with Manipur. According to sources, he also dared the government to arrest him in the clip.

"Don't betray, don't insult the freedom fighters of Manipur," the journalist said in one of the posts, news agency Reuters reported.

"It is nothing but a blatant abuse of the law and powers of the government," Mr Wangkhem's lawyer, N Victor, told Reuters by telephone.

His family is expected to challenge his 12-month detention, the maximum period under the National Security Act, soon.

Mr Wangkhem had reportedly quit his job with the ISTV, a local news channel, before posting the controversial remarks on Facebook. While the Indian Journalists Union and Press Council of India condemned the arrest, he received little support from the All Manipur Working Journalists Union because it felt that "a social media rant does not amount to journalism".

"In consonance with the opinion expressed by the Advisory Board and in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 12(1) of the said Act, the Governor of Manipur is pleased to order that the detention of Kishorchandra Wangkhem... is hereby confirmed," the order from the office of Manipur governor Dr Najma Heptulla stated.

Many social activists have termed the National Security Act as a draconian law with a high possibility of being misused for political purposes.

Manipur's deputy home minister Th Charanjeet Singh said in a statement the state had considered the evidence and stood by its decision to detain Mr Wangkhem.

India  is ranked 138th in the World Press Freedom Index run by Reporters Sans Frontieres - lower than Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Myanmar.

(With inputs from agencies)