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The fact-finding report said that thanks to the breakdown of communication due to the net ban, journalists effectively had to follow the government narrative, which under Biren Singh "became a narrow ethnic one playing up to the biases of the majority Meitei community." https://thewire.in/media/editors-guild-fact-finding-report-manipur-media-meitei-biren-internet 

A three-member team comprising Seema Guha, Bharat Bhushan and Sanjay Kapoor were in the state from August 7 to 10. Their 24-page ‘Report of the fact-finding mission on media’s reportage of the ethnic violence in Manipur’ also notes how certain media practices led to the vilification of the security forces.

02/09/2023

अभी अभी CJI चंद्रचूड का ऐतिहासिक एलान जल्दी देखो Am News Aug 27, 2023 Ravish Kumar on Manipur  and CJI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roiHK5IDJsI 27 Aug 2023.

The home minister made many misleading statements. He claimed that the Kuki  infiltrators entered Manipur because of the violence in Myanmar and it led to anxiety among the Meitei people, which then led to violence in the state. https://thewire.in/government/no-trace-of-sympathy-modi-shahs-reply-to-the-opposition-in-parliament-was-an-insult-to-manipur 

The media did not question his claim but the Kuki community has strongly objected to the home minister’s statement. The Kuki MLAs, including those of the BJP, have asked him to prove his claim. But the media did not consider it necessary to question the home minister on providing an explanation on the claim.

Apart from this, the home minister claimed that an organisation named Kuki Democratic Front is fighting in Myanmar, and the conflict in Myanmar led to many Kukis crossing over from Myanmar into Manipur for their safety.

According to news reports, the Kuki groups in Myanmar have refuted Shah’s allegation on its presence in Manipur.

Why was this misrepresentation not questioned? Apart from the misrepresentation, the statement also revealed that the Union government largely agrees with the description of the Manipur crisis as given by the Meitei majoritarian Manipur government. Then how can it be expected to establish peace in Manipur if it is so openly partisan towards the majority?

by Apoorvanand

14/08/2023