FIR lodged for Jantar Mantar hate speech
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 09 2023: An FIR has been filed against one Loon Gangte of Churachandpur for promoting enmity and hatred between different groups.

The FIR was registered at Imphal police station following a complaint lodged on August 8 for his speech at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi on July 28 during a protest organised by Kuki-Zo Women's Forum, Delhi & NCR under the banner "Separate Administration-The Only Solution" .

Loon Gangte is son of (L) Henminlun Gangte of Phalam Road, Cheingkon-pang, Churachandpur district.

FIR lodged for Jantar Mantar hate speech

He is regional coordinator of South Asia, International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) as well as founder and executive director, Delhi Network of Positive People (DNP+) .

The charges levelled against him, according to the FIR, include promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between different groups punishable under Section 153-A/505(1)(b)/505(2)/34 IPC.

As per the complaint, in the event at Jantar Mantar, Loon Gangte "taunted and ridiculed" the democratically elected head of the Government in Manipur (Chief Minister) in strongly worded unparliamentary expletives.

The complaint said Loon Gangte also ridiculed the slogan used by the public "Manipur Kaiba Yaroi" by inciting the thousands strong audience to rise "against" the Government to "break" the unity and integrity of the State towards a "separate administration" or "separate State" .

The complaint further said that his constant reference to "tribal unity" is also highly "ambiguous and misleading" as the other majority tribe of the State-Nagas are not involved in the present crisis.

His words and acts are meant to invoke hatred and violence among the Kuki people in general and the participating audience in particular towards the Meitei community and therefore, highly seditious, said the complaint providing a link of the speech available on YouTube.

Loon Gangte cannot hide the words that he spoke on the said platform under the guise of Fundamental Right of Freedom of Speech and Expression.

His words have transgressed all forms of decency and hurt the sentiments of other communities living together under the secular structure of the Indian Government.

His words were not only offensive and derogatory but also criminally actionable as it attracts the offence, among others, of committing sedition (under Section 124A IPC), said the complaint.