Dear Reader,
Last week, Kishorechandra Wangkhem, a Manipur-based journalist, was booked under the National Security Act because of a Facebook post.
Along with Wangkhem, activist Erendro Leichombam, a former Harvard graduate and associate of activist Irom Sharmila, was booked too. In the post which got them in jail, the duo pointed out that cow dung or urine cannot cure Covid, while commenting on the death of a state BJP leader from the virus.
This is not the first time Wangkhem has been arrested. In fact, this is not the second time either. Monday’s incident marks the journalist’s third arrest under Chief Minister Biren Singh rule, which has a history of targeting journalists and critics of the government under disproportionately harsh laws.
While in 2018, Wangkhem spent four months in jail for another critical post on the BJP, earlier this year in January, two editors of a Manipuri news portal were arrested on sedition and terror-related charges under the IPC and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act over the publication of an article. During Covid-19, the government also came down on people who criticised the state’s handling of the pandemic.
As The Indian Express editorial on the subject says:
“The prickliness to even a shadow of criticism is taking on absurd proportions in Manipur.”
From Assam
In happier news from Assam, the abducted ONGC employee was released by the banned ULFA-I a month after they kidnapped him. For his family, who was worried sick, the news comes as a major relief. His release follows Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma’s appeal to the outfit.
A case of alleged sexual assault on a child by a serving IPS officer has created a furore in Assam, with the Opposition writing to Chief Minister highlighting concerns on women and child safety in the state. The matter came to light when the accused, who was chargesheeted on March 31, was made the Superintendent of Police in a lower Assam district.
The Second Wave
As Covid-19 cases increase in the Northeast, the region lost several cultural figures — author and journalist Homen Borgohain in Assam, National Award-winning cinematographer Irom Maipak in Manipur and Khasi singer, Rana Kharkongor in Meghalaya. We offer our condolences to their families and well-wishers.
Meanwhile, a viral Twitter video came to the rescue of popular Assamese singer, Arun Das, who was down with Covid. Read here.
Finally…
Read our illustrated explainer on how a single bolt of lightning can kill 18 elephants at a go. Unfortunately, that’s what happened on a hilltop in Assam two weeks back.
Until next week,
Tora Agarwala
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