IMPHAL/KOLKATA: Nearly two months after Manipur journalist Kishorechandra Wangkhem was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) for a post criticising chief minister N Biren Singh, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has reached out to the scribe and condemned his incarceration.“I strongly condemn your detention under the National Security Act. This is another attempt to use the state machinery to silence dissent,” Rahul wrote in a letter addressed to Wangkhem that was handed to his wife Elangbam Ranjita by TN Haokip, president of the Manipur unit of Congress.“It is unfortunate that regressive forces continue to unleash violence with impunity, while those who seek accountability from the state are being jailed,” the Congress chief wrote, adding, “Congress stands in solidarity with (Kishorechandra) and will extend support in any manner possible.”Wangkhem, 39, has been in jail for two months for a video he posted on November 19 accusing the CM of acting as a “puppet” of the Narendra Modi government for the scale at which celebrations of the birth anniversary of Rani Laxmibai were organised in Manipur. He was arrested on November 20, released on November 26, arrested again a day later and charged under NSA. He was sentenced to a year in prison, the maximum term under the Act.Explaining the action against Wangkhem, the CM had earlier said, “I can tolerate criticism but not humiliation of my leaders. He was abusing national heroes like Rani of Jhansi and PM Modi, which is beyond freedom of expression. Whether it is justified or not is for the NSA advisory board to say.”The Manipur HC, meanwhile, has sought responses from the Centre, the state government and the Imphal West district magistrate to Wangkhem’s petition challenging his detention. The next hearing is on February 1.

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