Ranjita Elangbam says the detention of her husband Kishorechandra Wangkhem is the first instance of an arrest under the NSA in Manipur for a social media post.
New Delhi: The wife of Manipuri journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhem, 39, sentenced to a year’s detention under the National Security Act (NSA) Wednesday, has told ThePrint that she will approach the state High Court if the Central government does not intervene in her husband’s arrest.
Ranjita Elangbam, Wangkhem’s wife, said the family is consulting lawyers, who have told her that the state government alone can’t take such a decision.
“The decision has to come from the Union Home Ministry too,” she said, adding that she has appealed to the home minister to reconsider the order.
“If we don’t hear from them soon, we will challenge his detention in the high court,” the 38-year-old Elangbam said.
Wangkhem has been detained under the NSA for a social media post in which he allegedly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister N. Biren Singh and the RSS.
Elangbam told ThePrint that this is the first instance in the state of somebody being booked under the stringent provision for a social media post.
“The police themselves told us that this is the first time in Manipur where someone has got arrested under NSA for posting a video on social media that is critical of the government,” she told ThePrint.
Elangbam also said there has been no support for her husband from the local All Manipur Working Journalists Union even though the Indian Journalists Union and the Press Council of India have expressed solidarity with him.
“There is also hardly any coverage about him in the local media,” she said.
Also read: Manipur journalist arrested under NSA for posting video criticising BJP govt
The case
Wangkhem has been sentenced to a year’s detention under the NSA for a video in which he criticised BJP-led state government and Chief Minister Singh for linking the fight of Rani of Jhansi against the British to the freedom movement of Manipur. He had also challenged the state government to arrest him.
An order by the Manipur governor stated that an advisory board under a section of the NSA had considered the case and came to the conclusion that there are grounds and sufficient cause for Wangkhem’s detention under the Act.
The order said the Manipur governor has considered the proximate past activities of Wangkhem and potential danger of his activities that are prejudicial to the security of the state and maintenance of public order.
“There is an apprehension of his continuing to act similar prejudicial activities the moment he is released from detention, is further of the opinion that the said person should be detained for the maximum period of 12 (twelve) months as provided under section 13 of the said Act (sic),” the order reads.
The decision comes nearly a month after the journalist was detained by the Imphal West Police. He was picked up by police on 26 November on the pretext of questioning, barely a day after he was released on bail on the orders of a local court. He was earlier arrested under sections 294 and 500 of the IPC in addition to section 124 A, which deals with sedition for the video.
This is not the first time Wangkhem has been arrested. He was also arrested in August for another social media post and charged under sections 505(2) and 506 of the IPC but was released eventually after protests by the local media fraternity.