Manipur Students’ Association Delhi (MSAD) on Sunday alleged that the state police want to arrest its leader for protesting against the arrest of journalist Kishorchandra Wangkhem.
The association has alleged that a team of state police had come to the residence of its general secretary Javed Mehedi in Keinou of Bishnupur district to nab its leader, reports Nagaland Post.
The police team also asked about president, Veewon Thokchom of MSAD and its advisor Damudor Arambam.
“They asked all his details and intimidated his family as much as possible. And it is a time when we speak too much against the arbitrary arrest of journalist Kishorchandra Wangkhem,” MSAD said in a statement issued to the media.
The MSAD statement further read, “Way back, MSAD’s plan to organize a protest march in New Delhi, against the arbitrary arrest of Kishorchandra Wangkhem, was foiled by Delhi police following the directives of the Manipur Chief Minister.”
This was a first in MSAD history where all protestors were detained even before the protest. Three days before the protest, authorities were in search of the general secretary, impersonating TOI and Zee News reporters, the statement alleged.
“Since then we have been vociferous against the state’s undemocratic approaches and conducts to gag the voices of the masses” it asserted.
He (general secretary) has been a strong critic of the arrest of Wangkhem. “Today, his turn has come and the state authority is using all its might to gag him. This inability to take criticism clearly shows their misconducts,” MSAD alleged.
It added, “This authoritarian misuse of power and intimidation will not go long if we unite and fight back. If we don’t fight back, yesterday was Wangthoi’s turn, today is our turn and tomorrow might be your turn.”
“We are in a sorry state of authoritarian regime that anybody can be arbitrarily arrested and killed anytime at anywhere under NSA and AFSPA, if the government does not want you.”
Alleging oppression, the MSAD called for the people to wake up and fight back. Asserting that “We were not born to be oppressed and our silence will create more violence in future”, the statement said that the association will not stay silent against any act of intimidation.