Manipur government files FIR against the Editors Guild of India

In a strong response to the Editors Guild of India (EGI), Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh announced the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) against EGI members, condemning their recently published fact-finding report as "half-baked" and alleging that it could further escalate tensions in the state.

Addressing the media at a press conference held in the Darbar Hall of his secretariat on September 4, Chief Minister N Biren Singh criticized EGI's report, stating that the Supreme Court and the Government of India had already initiated investigations into the ongoing crisis in Manipur, with commissions led by retired Chief Justices and judges.

Singh questioned the authority of EGI's fact-finding team, saying, "Who constituted them? They were never authorized as a fact-finding team to investigate Manipur issues. It is a self-styled effort with no connection to the current Manipur crisis." He called on EGI to visit Manipur, witness the ground reality, and meet with representatives of various communities before publishing their findings.

The Chief Minister expressed disappointment with EGI's report, suggesting that it appeared to be influenced by certain individuals rather than a thorough investigation. He highlighted that the present crisis had affected both communities, and EGI's report, instead of helping resolve the crisis, might exacerbate it.

Singh questioned EGI's understanding of Manipur's history and the complexity of the present crisis, stating, "I thought EGI is a highly intellectual group. But after seeing their report, it seems they act according to the instigation of some particular people."

Regarding EGI's claims about the declaration of reserved and protected forests by Manipur and the eviction of houses, Singh clarified that the state government did not have the authority to announce reserved or protected forests. This responsibility rests solely with the central government to preserve forests from deforestation and poppy cultivation.

Singh provided statistics regarding house evictions in reserved and protected forests, highlighting that they were not targeted at any specific community. Out of 413 houses evicted from October 2015 to April 2023, 59 belonged to Kuki, 143 to Meitei, 137 to Meitei Muslim, 38 to Naga, and 36 to Nepali communities.

The Chief Minister criticized EGI for not having a proper understanding of the Indian Forest Act, which mandates that declarations of reserved and protected forests are the prerogative of the central government.

Regarding the recent viral videos of the naked parade of two women in Manipur during the crisis, Singh condemned the incident and emphasized the government's actions to ensure the safety of the victims. He expressed disappointment with the opposition party, Congress, for allegedly politicizing the issue.

Singh concluded by reassuring the people of Manipur that the government would not act against the interests of the state and that efforts to identify illegal immigrants from the state were underway.

The FIR was lodged following a complaint by an individual, Ngangom Sarat Singh, against four EGI members on charges including promoting enmity between different groups, injuring or defiling places of worship, uttering words with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings, and promoting enmity or hatred between classes.

Also Read: Manipur Journalists Union condemns Editors Guild of India’s allegation of covering ‘one-sided reports’