MSF lifts Times of India boycott
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 09 2014:
The Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF) has relaxed its stand of boycotting Times of India in Manipur.
However, the boycott still stands for Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and all its activities in the State have been banned.
Speaking to media persons at their office today, MSF president Kh Serajuddin said that Irom Chanu Sharmila has been fasting for the last 13 years demanding abolition of AFSPA and Pebam Chittaranjan had self-immolated for the same cause, not to talk about different people's movements against the infamous Act.
It was in this backdrop that one Arunkumar of RSS made a statement in favour of imposition of AFSPA.
The statement was reported in Times of India on December 8 last year as well as six other newspapers published in the North East region.
Seeking a clarification on the statement, MSF wrote to both RSS and Times of India on December 12, and again on December 21 .
As no clarification was made, MSF boycotted ToI and RSS since December 31 .
On January 5, Arunkumar sent a clarification in plain paper.
As the plain paper could not be taken as official letter from RSS, he sent another clarification next day on a paper embossed with the words RSS.
In both the letters, Arunkumar maintained that he never said 'AFSPA should not be repealed' .
He said that he was misquoted by ToI .
But copies of these clarification were not sent ToI and the other newspapers which published the controversial statement.
As Arunkumar's clarification is ambiguous whereas ToI maintained that they did not misquote Arunkumar, RSS should come out with a clarification at the earliest, and copies of the same clarification should be sent to ToI as well as the other newspapers.
Until and unless, RSS comes out with a clarification, MSF would boycott RSS and all its activities in Manipur.
As for ToI, the boycott has been relaxed taking cognizance of the appeals made by a large number of its readers not to boycott the particular newspaper.
Moreover, ToI has clarified that it never misquoted Arunkumar, Serajuddin said.