FIR against Manipur student body members for declaring Friday as holiday

Imphal: The Manipur Police have registered an FIR against members of a Churachandpur-based Joint Students' Body (JBS) which had recently declared every Friday a public holiday in all state government offices and educational institutions in the district.

The FIR was registered days after the Manipur government termed the notice issued by the JBS on the declaration as 'totally illegal'.

A notice has been circulated by the JBS through different social media platforms aiming at 'renaming of institutions and places' and observing every Friday as a holiday in government offices and educational institutions, a Home Department statement issued by Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi said on Monday.

It said Churchandpur police has registered a suo-motu FIR against the members of the JBS in this connection.

The JSB in a statement on October 26 said, "We are committed to the continuation and improvement of an education-friendly environment in our living space, even in these difficult times... The JSB had adopted a resolution on August 18... for all institutions of Government of Manipur starting from DC/SP... to observe Friday as a holiday."

The state government earlier said any such act of spreading a message and public notice poses a threat to communal harmony, peaceful co-existence, and internal and national security.

Violent clashes broke out in Manipur after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts in the first week of May aimed at protesting the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. More than 180 people lost their lives and several hundreds were injured.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals - Nagas and Kukis - constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts.