Pakinrichapbo (Advocate)
Samziuram Village, Peren
The arbitrary detention of Kishorchandra Wangkhem, post his social media rant on facebook by the Manipur Government has so many angles entwined behind his action. What Mr. Kishorchandra did may be wrong morally in terms of using abusive words, showing sign language but his detention after being released on bail by District Magistrate Imphal West under National Security Act 1980 is so wrong and had received nationwide condemnation from Indian Journalist Union, Press Council of India, Human Rights Law Network New Delhi, National Television News Channel like Mirror Now, Social Activist etc for official abuse of power by the Manipur Government. Quoting from HRLN New Delhi press release titled HRLN condemns published in Sangai Express dated 26.12.18. Dr. Colin Gonsalves Founder of HRLN and Supreme Court Senior Advocate stated that “F” word used in swearing is a part of the freedom of speech and expression. He further explained that it is lawfully used and is justifiably used as well and that the attempt of the State Government to arrest such a person is totally wrong. Dr. Colin further reasoned that not only should Kishorchandra be able to get bail but the prosecution should be quashed as well. The use of swear words is totally permissible under the Constitution of India.
Historical Angle
Kishorechandra in his video countering Manipur Government decision to organize birth anniversary celebration of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhanshi bluntly pointed that Rani of Jhansi has nothing to do with Manipur History or its upliftment accused the Manipur CM of sidelining freedom fighters from Manipur. No Indians can devalue the contributions of Rani Lakshmibai towards Indian Freedom struggle but social political settings are different in the northeast region especially states like Manipur and Nagaland with long history of political unrest where major ethnic groups still harbours ethnic nationalism in addition to lack of emphasis of Northeast region history including the people with diverse culture, languages and traditions, also its importance cut out from mainstream Indian education system again worsened by racial discriminations faced by North-Eastern tribal’s in mainland India, the reason why many youths don’t feel Indian. Have Central Government taken a different approach in dealing with the people of northeast especially Manipur, I believe not even single citizen of Manipur would have protested observing birth anniversary of any freedom fighters from other part of India but how did the representatives of GOI such as the para military forces deal with the people?
It unleashed terror not sparing civilians from militants; its state government running the day to day affairs like a police state, under such ground reality, New Delhi cannot expect the theory of unity in diversity to work in Manipur. Had the birth anniversary of Rani Lakshmibai organized in other North-Eastern States like Nagaland or Mizoram, reaction of the people from these states would send out clear message on whether they are in same boat with Kishorchandra.
Taking the instances of Mizo students’ bodies groups which strongly opposed the Central Government plan to honour Khuangchera as an Indian Freedom Fighter, a tribal Mizo freedom fighter who was killed in 1890 resisting the British Expansion into Lushai country citing that though he fought against the British he was not defending India as the idea of Unified India didn’t exist then. In my view, such historical facts should not be manipulated to integrate the tribal’s from Northeast region with the mainstream which patriotic Indians love to do creating more resentment than integration.
Hindutva Angle
In today’s India, who had not voice out against the ideologies and policies of right wing Hindu extremists? Take the example of journalist Late Gauri Lankesh, who was gunned down for voicing out against Hindu fundamentalist groups, writer activist Arundhati Roy who is among the first critics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP and the RSS.
Sedition and Secessionist Angle
The detention of Kishorchandra has once again open up anti-national debate in the country this time in Manipur after the JNU campus fiasco in 2016 where its student leaders were arrested on sedition charges on account of being anti-national raising antinational slogans. Their arrest was followed by widespread protests. What relate Kishorchandra with JNU student’s leaders was that they all spoke out against Modi BJP Government and automatically became anti-national in the eye of the government. But the Manipur Government went too far by invoking provisions of Sec. 13 of the NSA Act even after the Magistrate had released the journalist on bail stating that his statements did not seem to disturb the peace thereby his action not worthy of jail time under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code.
In an edited version of the video under the caption Why NSA? It justified the legal action of the Manipur Government as the journalist words ‘present freedom strugglers of Manipur’ is full of secessionist idea and against the unity, integrity and nationalism of India. For how long the GOI and state government would continue to harass civilians for such comments without settling with the main actors. Colonial approach in place of soft power approach towards complex northeast region would not improve the situations.
Conclusion
Lastly, irrespective of the outcome of Higher Court ruling, twelve month detention without proper trial has made Kishorchandra a true fearless crusader of the idea of free speech of our time who has now support from nook and corner of India. And the people need to stand with him now to defend democracy in Manipur.
