The CPI on Sunday demanded immediate release of journalist Kishorchandra Wangkhem and condemned his detention under the National Security Act on “flimsy grounds”.

The secretary of CPI, Manipur, L. Sotinkumar, said it strongly supported the freedom of the press but also opposed the use of “filthy language” by Kishorchandra.

Kishorchandra was arrested on November 20 for posting a video criticising chief minister N. Biren Singh for a function organised on the Rani of Jhansi.

“The demand for release of Kishorchandra was resolved during the CPI national council meeting at Vishakhapatnam from December 18 to 21. His case absolutely does not attract provisions of the NSA, which was being misused by the authorities,” he said.

Imphal West chief judicial magistrate released him on bail on November 26. The next day the police picked up from his residence and detained him under the NSA Act, 1980.

On December 14, the state government approved Kishorchandra’s detention under the NSA, passed by the Imphal West district magistrate.

“The undemocratic BJP government in the state was unhappy with the court intervention. Therefore, he was taken into custody again and detained under the NSA for a year. Such a despotic act is nothing but suppression of freedom of press and a reflection of the fascist streak of the BJP regime in Manipur,” Sotinkumar said, according to the resolution adopted in the CPI national council meeting.

Kishorchandra’s counsel, Ch. Victor, had filed a petition in Manipur High Court on December 19, asking it to quash the detention order under NSA, the approval order and confirmation order saying that none of the grounds furnished to the petitioner cover the expression of “prejudicial to the security of the state and to the maintenance of public order”.

On the state cabinet’s decision to extend the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act for another year in Imphal municipal area, L. Sotinkumar asked, “Why it was extended when the BJP-led government claims that peace has returned in Manipur?”

Sotinkumar said the voice of the people cannot be suppressed by the army act and cannot alleviate the pain of the people.

“As the CPI is playing an important role to overthrow the authoritarian and un-secular Modi government at the Centre, the Manipur unit is working hard to achieve the dream. Moirangthem Nara will contest from the Outer Manipur Lok Sabha seat in 2019 for the CPI,” he said.

“The downfall of the BJP has begun for cheating the people and working for a few capitalists,” he added.