IMPHAL: The Manipur Police have initiated legal action against members of a Churachandpur-based Joint Students' Body (JSB) after they recently declared every Friday a public holiday in all state government offices and educational institutions within the district. This development comes shortly after the Manipur government categorically denounced the JSB's notice, branding it as "totally illegal."
The JSB circulated a notice via various social media platforms, which outlined their intention to rename institutions and places while urging the observance of Fridays as a holiday in government offices and educational establishments. A statement from the Home Department, issued by Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi, emphasized the unauthorized nature of this declaration.
Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi noted on Monday that Churachandpur police had registered a suo-motu FIR against the JBS's members in response to the controversy surrounding this declaration.
The JSB, in a statement released on October 26, affirmed their commitment to maintaining an education-friendly environment in their living space, even amidst challenging circumstances. They cited a resolution adopted on August 18, which proposed the observance of Fridays as holidays across all government institutions in Manipur, from District Collectors and Superintendents of Police (DC/SP) downwards.
The state government had earlier expressed concerns about the potential consequences of spreading such a message and public notice, particularly highlighting the risks it posed to communal harmony, peaceful coexistence, and both internal and national security.
The background to this controversy is rooted in the violent clashes that erupted in Manipur earlier this year following a 'Tribal Solidarity March' organized in the hill districts during the first week of May. The march was a response to the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, resulting in the tragic loss of more than 180 lives and injuring several hundreds.
Manipur's demographic landscape comprises Meiteis, constituting approximately 53 percent of the population, predominantly residing in the Imphal Valley. In contrast, the tribal communities, including Nagas and Kukis, account for just over 40 percent of the population and are primarily concentrated in the hill districts.
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