“Attempt to Silence Truth”: Kuki Students’ Organisation Condemns Case Against UK Professor Uday Reddy in Manipur
New Delhi, 1st July. The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) Delhi has strongly condemned the filing of a police case in Manipur against Uday Reddy, an Indian-origin professor based in the UK, accusing him of attempting to incite communities in the border state. According to the KSO, the case represents a troubling trend of targeting individuals who expose alleged malpractices of the Manipur government led by Biren Singh.
Uday Reddy, a Computer Science professor at the University of Birmingham, has been accused of using online platforms to create religious tensions between communities in Manipur through his messages and social media interactions. The KSO defended Reddy, stating that his discussions have aimed to present unbiased views and authentic historical perspectives of both the Kuki and Meitei communities.
The organisation emphasized that Reddy’s activism has focused on highlighting complex truths about Manipur’s socio-political landscape, rather than vilifying any community. The KSO condemned the complaint against Reddy as an attempt to silence his voice and prevent him from educating Kuki youth about their heritage and history.
The FIR against Reddy alleges that he insulted the religious beliefs of the Meitei community and promoted enmity on religious grounds. His social media account has been withheld in India following a legal demand, as per platform policies enforced due to court orders.
The KSO called for the withdrawal of the complaint and urged authorities to cease unjust actions against individuals striving to uncover Manipur’s realities. They highlighted similar actions against other academics critical of Indian policies, citing the case of Swedish-based professor Ashok Swain.
The backdrop to these developments includes ongoing ethnic tensions in Manipur, exacerbated by recent violence between the Meitei community and various Kuki tribes since May 2023.
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