Cannot tolerate humiliation of national leaders like PM Narendra Modi: Manipur CM on journalist's arrest

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Monday asserted that he cannot tolerate humiliation of national heroes like Rani of Jhansi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Chief Minister's remarks came in the context of journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhemcha who was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) last month for allegedly making derogatory comments against him.

Singh told ANI, "I can tolerate criticism but not the humiliation of my leaders; he was abusing as well as humiliating the national heroes like Rani of Jhansi and PM Modi. It is totally beyond freedom of expression."

Further substantiating his argument, Singh stated: "Justified or not, that will be the work of the court. It is a democratic country, we have the right to criticise but we should not forget there are also some restrictions."

Wangkhemcha, who was working for a local news channel in the northeastern state, had reportedly uploaded several videos last month, calling Singh a puppet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government.

In his video clips, Wangkhemcha had apparently criticised the state government for observing Rani of Jhansi's birth anniversary and allegedly used derogatory words against the Chief Minister. He had filed the petition on December 19 challenging his detention.

On December 14, the state government had reportedly ordered that Wangkhemcha should be kept under detention for a year.

As per reports, the journalist was arrested on separate charges of sedition on November 21. On November 25, a local court released him on bail. On November 27, Wangkhemcha was detained under the NSA, which allows for detention of up to 12 months without trial, and has since been kept in a jail in Imphal.

-ANI