MUSU demands unconditional release of Kishorchandra Wangkhem
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 04 2018:
Manipur University Students' Union today strongly condemned the re-arrest of the former employee of IS TV Kishorchandra Wangkhem.
Comparing the present Government with "dictatorship", the students' union accused the Government of curtailing right of citizen to criticise the Government without fear of being arrested.
Asking if the judgement of the judiciary has no binding, the union condemned the "authoritarian" act of re-arresting Kishorchandra the very next day he was released by Court.
It may be mentioned that Kishorchandra had uploaded a video on his facebook timeline which he claimed was criticising the BJP led State Government.
He was arrested on November 20 under various charges including "sedition" .
He was given bail on November 26 by Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West which said that "a citizen has rights to criticise a democratic Government and that Kishorchandra's statement did not amount to sedition," said MUSU in its statement.
He was again arrested the next day under Section 3(2) of NSA.
Alleging that the present Government can't tolerate criticism, the union called all student bodies, teachers, media fraternity and women's organisations to voiced their resentment and outcry against the "suppression of democratic rights" of the citizen.
Highlighting the recent midnight crack down on students at Manipur University hostels during the long impasse in the university, MUSU alleged that the present Government had exposed its "dictatorial" power at the time.
It may be mentioned that, the MU community's call for removal of the Vice Chancellor AP Pandey was in peak when the State police and security forces raided the university hostel on intervening night of September 20 and 21 and arrested many students.
MUSU called for unconditional release of Kishorchandra at the earliest.