FIR against members of fact-finding panel that said violence in Manipur was ‘state sponsored’

NT Correspondent

Manipur: A first information report has been registered against members of a fact-finding team that had visited Manipur and alleged that the violence in the state was “state-sponsored”.

Since May 3, Manipur has been grappling with ethnic clashes between the Kuki and Meitei communities, resulting in widespread violence, loss of lives, and displacement of approximately 60,000 individuals.

"Stop criminalising human rights work. Respect the fundamental rights of citizens to conduct Fact Finding Enquiries and publish their reports for public discussion, said People's Union For Civil Liberties.

On July 8, the FIR was filed at the Imphal police station against Annie Raja, Nisha Siddhu, and Deeksha Dwivedi. Raja and Siddhu are affiliated with the National Federation of Indian Women, the women's wing of the Communist Party of India, while Dwivedi is a lawyer based in Delhi.

The charges against them include sections of the Indian Penal Code related to waging war against the state, provocation, and defamation.

The complaint leading to the FIR was lodged by L Liben Singh, who objected to the statements made by the three women during a press conference on July 3, where they presented their findings.

The fact-finding team's report asserted that the ethnic violence in Manipur was not solely a communal clash but involved deeper issues related to land, resources, and the presence of extremist elements.

Furthermore, the report attributed responsibility to the BJP-led governments in Manipur and at the central level, alleging inadequate measures to curtail the clashes.

According to the committee, the violence did not erupt spontaneously but occurred in a backdrop of existing mistrust and anxiety, which the ruling establishments deliberately stoked to fuel a potential civil war-like situation.

The registration of the FIR against the factfinding team has raised concerns about the freedom of expression and the ability to conduct impartial investigations into the root causes of the violence in Manipur. (PTI)