Guwahati, July 1: Manipur Police has lodged an FIR against an Indian-origin professor, Uday Reddy, teaching Computer Science at the University of Birmingham, UK for insulting and promoting enmity between Kuki and Meitei communities.
Following the FIR, X (formerly Twitter) handle of Pro Reddy was withheld on Monday.
Ironically, the FIR has been lodged by an “unknown complaint” with an “unknown police station” in Imphal East district of Manipur.
The FIR alleged that Professor Reddy had been intentionally promoting enmity between the communities in Manipur on religious grounds. It was also alleged that Reddy has been conducting online sessions that insult the religious beliefs of the Meitei community and foster tensions between the Meiteis and other ethnic groups.
He has been accused under Section 117 of IPC (abetment), Section 295-A (insulting religious sentiments), section 153-A (promoting enmity between communities) and any other relevant provision of law.
“Uday Reddy professor of computer science at the University of Birmingham, deliberately with malicious intentions insults the Meitei/Meitei religious belief of Meitei/ Meitei community. Further, he is promoting enmity between Meitei community with other communities on the grounds of religion,” the FIR stated.
“The complainant came to know about the existence of the act committed by the accused person on June 6, in Imphal. The act of the accused person violated Indian laws, which is punishable offences,” it said.
“The unlawful activities of the accused person and his associates amount to anti-national that challenged the integrity and sovereignty of India and is fit to deal under the relevant provision of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and other relevant provisions of law,” it also stated.
Professor Reddy has yet to issue a public statement regarding the accusations.
Condemning the FIR, Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO)- Delhi & NCR, said the police action “represents a disturbing trend where individuals and organisations exposing the malpractices of the Biren Singh led-Manipur government are unjustly targeted.”
“Prof Reddy through his X handle @Kautilya33, has consistently presented unbiased views and the authoritic history of both the Kukis and Meiteis of Manipur. His objective and factual discourse has evidently threatened Meitei who find themselves unable to counter his truths with their misinformation,” KSP- Delhi & NCR secretary (information and publicity) Thangminjoy said in a statement here.
“We urge the authorities to recognize the complaint for what it is: a tactic to intimidate and suppress a voice of truth. We demand immediate withdrawal of the complaint and call for an end to such unjust actions against individuals who seek to bring to light the historical and present-day realities in Manipur,” he said.
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