Manipuri journalist and activist arrested under NSA for FB posts rejecting cow dung, urine as cure for COVID-19

Imphal: The Manipur Police has re-arrested journalist Kishorchandra Wangkhem and activist Erendro Leichombam under the National Security Act (NSA) after they had been granted bail for an earlier arrest for their allegedly derisive social media posts on state BJP chief S Tikendra Singh, following his demise due to COVID-19 last week, police sources said. The duo, both in their 40s, was arrested on Thursday after they took to Facebook to extend their condolences, while also writing that cow dung or cow urine was no cure for COVID-19, in two separate posts. Several BJP leaders have in the past made claims about the efficacy of cow urine as a preventive to various diseases including COVID-19. The saffron party’s state vice-president Usham Deban Singh and general secretary P Premananda Meetei filed a complaint against Wangkhem and Leichombam, after which the police picked them up from their residences in Imphal. They were granted bail on Monday, but the government subsequently invoked the NSA to re-arrest them. Th Kirankumar, the district magistrate of Imphal West, said in his order that the two might “resume activities which are prejudicial to the security of the state and maintenance of public order on being released on bail”. Earlier, too, Wankhem, associated with news portal Frontline Manipur, had faced arrest on two occasions for his criticism of the BJP. Erendro is the convenor of political outfit Peoples’ Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA).