IMPHAL : Frequent strikes, curfews and the state’s long history of indefinite economic blockades have prepared the people of Manipur all too well for the nationwide lockdown.
But despite those advantages, tensions are rising. The immediate flashpoint is the detention of dissenters who had raised questions about the state government’s response to the pandemic on social media platforms.
At least two individuals—Konsam Victor Singh, a professor, and Dr Laifungbam Debabrata Roy, a human rights activist—were arbitrarily detained for more than 24 hours in police custody for posting critical opinions on their Facebook pages.