‘Publication for De Jure Government of Manipur is an offence’

Imphal: Publication of press release from ‘self-styled Minister of Foreign Affairs, De Jure Government of Manipur (Government-in-Exile)’ shall be treated to have committed the offence of waging war against the state, District Magistrate, Imphal West said in an order issued on Thursday.

The order was issued following circulation of a press release signed by the ‘self-styled’ Minister of Foreign Affairs, De Jure Government of Manipur (Government-in-Exile), Narengbam Samarjit claiming that a website as www.independentmanipur.com has been inaugurated on July 1 at the office of the De Jure Government of Manipur, London, United Kingdom and further notified that important events related to the “Independent Manipur” can be seen through the YouTube from time to time.

Manipur is a part and parcel of the Union of India and as such, the intent and conduct of the self styled Government-in-Exile challenge the sovereignty of the nation. The word “sovereignty”, which is a part of the Preamble of the Indian Constitution, has been declared to be the basic structure of the Indian Constitution that cannot be amended by the Parliament as held by the Constitutional Bench of the Hon’ble Apex Court in Kesavananda Bharati Case, as reported in (1973) 4 SCC 225, it added.

The publication, printing and transmission of such message that may incite, provoke and instigate the public at large to create a political chaos shall not only amount to violation of the basic structure of Indian Constitution, which is time and again affirmed by the Apex Court of India unamendable, it said.

Keeping in concern the rights and privileges of the citizens guaranteed under Article 19 as well as Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, however as far as publication, printing and transmission of message is concerned, which undoubtedly, is a fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution of India, is the subject to reasonable restriction but above all, the Preamble of the Constitution shall not be affected while exercising the freedom.

In exercise of power conferred under section 5 (2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, the district magistrate, Naorem Praveen Singh ordered that “Publication, printing and transmission of such message that may incite, provoke and instigate the public at large shall be treated to have committed the offence af waging war against the state as provided under section 121 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.”