FIRs against Dimasa Writers’ Forum chief over ‘communal’ posts

Silchar: Several organisations in the Barak Valley have condemned Dimasa Writers’ Forum president Mukteswar Kemprai for allegedly making a series of inflammatory, derogatory, and communal remarks on social media.

Two FIRs have been lodged against him at the Silchar Sadar police station, demanding legal action.Social organisation Baraker Awaaz on Monday filed a complaint accusing Kemprai of spreading hatred through his posts, which allegedly targeted the Bengali-speaking population of the Barak Valley. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) secretary Abhijit Paul also filed a separate FIR the same day, seeking immediate investigation.

Youth Against Social Evils has similarly demanded strict action against the forum president.According to the FIR lodged by Baraker Awaaz, on Oct 21, Kemprai posted several comments on social media “intended to provoke communal tension and defame the Bengali-speaking community.” He allegedly made derogatory references to the 1961 Bengali Language Movement and insulted the martyrs associated with it. The complaint further stated that Kemprai repeated similar remarks on another social media post on Oct 24.

In his posts, Kemprai allegedly described Bengali-speaking residents of Cachar district as “foreigners” and “people migrated from Bangladesh.” He also questioned the historical significance of naming the Silchar Railway Station as “Bhasha Shahid Station”, claiming it distorted historical facts.“Such remarks are a gross insult to the Bengali community and amount to historical distortion,” Baraker Awaaz said in its complaint, adding that the statements were aimed at creating hatred and division in the Barak Valley’s multilingual society.

The organisation has warned that it may launch a democratic movement if authorities fail to act.Those present during the filing of the complaint included Jaydeep Dutta, advocates Jyotirmoy Nath, Pankaj Kanti Dey, Dharmananda Deb, Jhankar Pal, Amarjit Biswas, Arup Kumar Dev, and Rudra Prasad Das, among others.Police are yet to issue a statement on the matter.