Manipur has been reeling under violence since the last year. Amidst this, reports have emerged that Indian-origin Computer Science Professor named Uday Reddy, who teaches at the University of Birmingham in United Kingdom, has been charged with inciting people in this Northeastern State of Bharat.
A local in his first information report or FIR filed in the State capital’s Imphal East district accused the professor of creating tension between communities on religious grounds in Manipur with his online messages and talk sessions. The police complaint alleged the accused may be linked with Khalistani activists in Canada.
The complainant blamed the accused of “deliberately” insulting the Meitei’s religious beliefs and promoting “enmity between the Meiteis and other communities on religious ground” with malicious intention.
Followed by a court order, social media site X put a notice on Reddy’s profile page that displayed that the account has been “withheld in Bharat in response to a legal demand.”
The complainant stated in the FIR that the unlawful activities of the accused and his associates constitute anti-national acts that threaten the integrity and sovereignty of Bharat. These actions warrant prosecution under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The FIR further suggests a strong likelihood that the accused may have connections with Khalistani elements in Canada and narco-terrorist groups. It requests an investigation into the accused’s call records and financial transactions.
The complainant urged the Indian authorities to inform Reddy’s workplace about the “criminal acts committed by him against Bharat” and to issue a lookout circular or LOC to monitor entry and exit points in Bharat.
Reacting to this, the Kuki Students’ Organisation – Delhi & NCR has sternly condemned the filing of the complaint against Professor Uday Reddy by an unknown complainant. In a press release, the organisation expressed solidarity with Professor Reddy, who as per the release is known for his unbiased historical discourse on social media.
Previously too, over a legal demand in Bharat, the X account of Sweden-based Indian-origin professor Ashok Swain, a fierce critic of the Indian Government’s policies, was withheld in August 2023.
Regarding this, Chief Justice DY Chandrachud in December 2023 had flagged about an overwhelming barrage of speech that twists the truth with the advent of troll armies and organised disinformation campaigns across social media platforms.
“Traditionally, freedom of speech and expression was deemed to be an essential part of civil rights activism because of the fear that the government would prevent certain kinds of speech from entering the marketplace,” CJI Chandrachud had mentioned at the 14th Justice VM Tarkunde memorial lecture.
“With the advent of troll armies and organised disinformation campaigns across different social media platforms, the fear is that there is an overwhelming barrage of speech that distorts the truth,” the Chief Justice had stated.
