Hill Voice, 22 June 2025, Special Correspondent: UPDF is running a baseless propaganda implicating Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS) in the arrest of two people with methamphetamine tablets worth Tk 10.43 crore by Assam Rifles in an anti-drug operation last Thursday (19 June) from Pukpui area of Lunglei district in Mizoram.

Hill Voice conducted an investigation into the incident. Three online news portals, Mangalorean (mangalorean.com), News on air (newsonair.gov.in), Northeast News (nenews.in), published news on the drug seizure incident. Of the three news portals, the first two news portals, Mangalorean and News on air, did not publish any news involving JSS. But the Northeast News portal intentionally published news involving JSS and its central member Bidhayak Chakma.

It is also worth mentioning that although the Northeast News portal only mentioned the name of Bidhayak Chakma, the UPDF news portal CHT News (chtnews.blogspot.com) intentionally published news involving Mitul Chakma Bishal. This proves that the news of Northeast News and CHT News are based on the same source. It appears that UPDF is directly involved in publishing this baseless news on the Northeast News portal.

JSS’ Assistant Organizing Secretary Bidhayak Chakma said, “The news published on the Northeast News portal implicating me in the said incident is completely fabricated and baseless. UPDF is spreading such fabricated and baseless propaganda with the intention of tarnishing the image of JSS and its members. Some beneficiaries of UPDF are spreading such propaganda.”

Assistant Information and Publicity Secretary of the JSS, Sajib Chakma said, “Such fabricated and baseless propaganda by UPDF is not new. Recently, UPDF has been spreading propaganda through social media by implicating senior members of JSS in the drug business. Since drugs are a sensitive issue, UPDF has been spreading fabricated information by implicating JSS in the drug trade with the intention of easily attracting people’s attention.”

Sajib Chakma also said that recently the political and organizational bankruptcy of the UPDF has been evident, which has become more apparent to the public. That is why they are now attacking the JSS in a dirty way. As a part of that, recently the UPDF has been publishing such false, fabricated and baseless news against the JSS in a couple of dailies in Tripura state of India in exchange for money. However, no matter how much propaganda the UPDF spreads, the common people will never believe it. The common people are well aware of the principles and ideologies and fighting spirit of the JSS.