Manipur Cong slams state government social media diktat

Manipur Congress on Thursday said that banning government employees from participation in social media groups was another instance of muzzling the freedom of expression and right to information under the BJP government.
An office memorandum issued by the BJP government in Manipur on Wednesday (August 10) asked its employees to leave social media groups that are “furthering separatist, anti-national, communal and divisive agenda” by 6 pm of August 12.
The office memorandum further warned of appropriate disciplinary action against those found not abiding by the directive.
Talking to reporters on the sideline of Congress’s day-two “Ajadi ki Gourav Yatra” on Thursday, MPCC president K Meghachandra termed the government as another instance of suppressing the fundamental right of the citizens enshrined in the constitution of the country,” he said.
Since the saffron party came to power in the country and in the state, there were many instances of violating the fundamental rights of the citizens, he added.
Both the government at the Centre as well as in the state had passed many orders amounting to suppressing the freedom of expression and right to information of the citizens.
The Manipur government’s order asking employees to exit from the social media groups was another instance of suppressing the right to information and freedom of expression of the employees of the state government.
“Congress strongly opposed the order,” he said, and added that in today’s digital information world, social media like Whatsapp, Facebook, etc. played a vital role in assimilating information and getting the latest news.
Asking the employees to exit from the social media groups was nothing but depriving them from getting the latest news and events happening in the state as well as in other parts of the globe, he alleged.
The “Ajadi ki Gourav Yatra” of the MPCC to mark the 75 years of India’s independence which commenced on Wednesday was marched in Kakching district today.
Hundreds of Congress workers participated in the day-two march from Hiyanglam Bazar to Kakching Bazar today.
On Wednesday, the MPCC marched from Moirang to Oinam Bazar in Bishnupur district.
Former state chief minister O Ibobi Singh and many leaders of the MPCC including MPCC president, sitting and former MLAs were among others who took part in the march.
During the march, marchers shouted various slogans against the BJP government at the Centre as well as in the state while blaming the governments for the hikes in the prices of petroleum products, essential commodities and GST and increasing unemployment.
MPCC president K Meghachandra alleged that common people were unable to participate in the celebration of the Independence Day owing to multiple burdens on their heads as a result of failure of the BJP government.
The BJP governments, both at the Centre as well as in the state failed on all fronts. Its anti-people policies put the people in a miserable state.
The moods of the citizens’ participation in the celebration were foiled by the ever increasing prices of the essential commodities due to hike in the prices of the petroleum products, increased in the GST, he alleged. On the other hand, the BJP government in the state has been gagging the mouth of the people, particularly educationists, intellectuals by passing order after order banning them from speaking against the government.
The order passed yesterday asking the govt employees to exit from the social media groups was the latest one, he alleged.
The bid to foil Congress’s “Ajadi ki Gourav Yatra” was also a part of BJP government’s attempt to suppress the fundamental rights of the people, the MPCC president went on to allege.