The Telegraph banned in Manipur
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, September 06 2011: Coming down hard against the publishing of some personal and intimate details of Human Rights activist Irom Chanu Sharmila by The Telegraph and its act of driving a wedge between Sharmila and her supporters, many social organizations and supporters of Sharmila today set copies of The Telegraph on fire at different places and demanded an unconditional apology from the editor of the national daily.

Speaking in a press meet, AK Janaki, Convenor, Sharmila Kanba Lup told reporters that the report published in the Guwahati edition of The Telegraph is an attempt to drive a wedge between the human rights crusader who has been fasting for more than 10 years and her supporters who are extending unconditional support to her agitation demanding repeal of AFSPA.

He accused the national media houses of the country of sidelining the cause and agitation of Sharmila by publishing some personal matter instead of publishing the voice of the Gandhian who has adopted non- violence as a means of demanding constitutional rights of a citizen of the country.

He also accused that the national media in the country are not taking the agitation of Sharmila to the general public which arouses suspicion as to whether they are planning to spread propaganda against her agitation and the decade old demand.

Members of Apunba Lup burning copies of The Telegraph

Janaki also expressed suspicion that the state government might be force feeding drugs or other substance to Sharmila which might cause chemical imbalance in the thinking and the mind of the human rights crusader.

In another incident, volunteers of Apunba Lup today set fire to copies of The Telegraph at Majorkhul at around 2.30 pm reacting against the news report published on the national daily.

Assistant Co-ordinator, Apunba Lup told reporters that the irresponsible attitude of the national paper which is trying to sideline the ongoing decade old agitation has led to utter confusion in the state.

Demanding unconditional apology from the Editor of The Telegraph by personally coming to the state, he said that the national paper will be banned in the state until and unless the Editor apologizes.

Meanwhile, the Senior Citizens for Society today strongly condemned the publication of a personal matter of Sharmila who will become a part of history in the future.

Speaking in a press meet, president of the society N Binoy told reporters that no person or media should make false allegation against Sharmila.

He said that the state government is not giving permission to anybody to meet Sharmila.

He questioned why and how the government gave the permission to The Telegraph to meet her.

Demanding that the Government of India should recognize the agitation of Sharmila , he went on to point out that Anna Hazare fasted for only 12 days but the Union government conceded his demand.

However in the case of Sharmila, both the state and Union governments are ignoring the decade old non violent agitation of Sharmila, he said.

Justice Jeevan Reddy had submitted his report of the commission to the government which recommended the repeal of AFSPA.

Unfortunately, the government is turning a blind eye in the matter by not considering the report of Jeevan Reddy Commission, he alleged.

In another incident, volunteers of Keishamthong Humanitarian Development Committee today burned copies of The Telegraph alleging the later of trying to sideline the ongoing decade old agitation of Sharmila.

General Secretary of the committee Shivachandra told reporters that the committee has banned The Telegraph in the state demanding unconditional apology.