The NEHU Students Union has called on the varsity to drop a Manipur beauty queen who is set to be the main guest at the Dazzle Vision Fashion Show on May 20.
NEHUSU claimed to have received several complaints about Strela Thounaojam’s planned attendance, stating that she was “suspended from Twitter for posting hate speech and communal hatred” in relation to the recent ethnic violence in Manipur.
However, Thounaojam has already denied ever making such statements. She took to Twitter on May 15 to say “It is very heart breaking to come to know that someone created a fake account under my name for the sole purpose of spreading hate and spewing hate under my name”.
She added that the authorities have been informed and that the “truth shall prevail” and that she had been quiet on social media as mobile phone internet had been cut off during the violence.
Thounaojam’s official Twitter account is @luwangstrela and has not been suspended. A different account, @strelaluwang, had been blocked.
NEHUSU is concerned that Thounaojam’s presence could lead to conflict on the campus.
“We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this decision, but we believe it is necessary to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all members of the NEHU community. We remain committed to promoting a safe and inclusive environment for all NEHU students,” the union said in a letter.
