Manipur journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhem arrested under National Security Act for anti-BJP post

Manipur journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhem been arrested in Imphal under the National Security Act. Scroll reported that he was arrested “with a view to prevent him from acting in any matter prejudicial to the security of the state and to the maintenance of public order”. Wangkhem had been arrested by the Imphal West Police on November 21 after a video he put up, criticising the BJP, went viral and was then granted bail. About 24 hours later, Wangkhem was arrested again.

Scroll reported that in the video, Wangkhem had called Manipur CM N Biren Singh a “puppet of Modi and Hindutva” in the context of an event organised in Manipur on the birth anniversary of the Rani of Jhansi.

Imphal Free Press had stated: “Official reason for detaining former ISTV staff, Kishorchandra Wangkhem to judicial custody still not yet disclosed to his family, however police source said he is detained under National Security Act (NSA) following an order issued by Imphal West district magistrate.”

A sit-in protest was organised in Imphal calling Wangkhem’s arrest “an abuse of basic human rights”.

Congress spokesperson and MLA of Thangmeiband assembly constituency, Kh. Joykishan, told reporters, “The chief minister himself was arrested on charges of sedition when he was an editor, the court let him go then, and he should know that. Arresting someone arbitrarily for saying something against the government when the judiciary has let him go.”

Wangkhem was previously arrested in August after he was accused of writing inflammatory posts on social media.