Manipur police files FIR against JSB for declaring every Friday public holiday

Guwahati: Manipur police have filed an FIR against the Churachandpur-based Joint Students' Body (JSB) for declaring Fridays as public holidays in place of Sundays.

"Churachandpur police station has registered a suo-motu FIR No 2823(10)/2023 under sections 186/341/189/506 of the Indian Penal Code against members of the JSB," Manipur Chief Secretary Vineet Joshi said in a press release on Monday.

In a statement on October 26, the JSB said it was committed to creating and improving an education-friendly environment, even in difficult times.

To make the government hear its demands, the JSB adopted a resolution on August 18 for all institutions of the Government of Manipur, starting from the district collector/superintendent of police, to observe Fridays as holidays.

However, the chief secretary said in the official release that a public reminder notice had been circulated by the JSB without any authority or jurisdiction through different media, including social media platforms and WhatsApp groups.

He said the content in the notice was likely to aggravate the ongoing law and order crisis in the state and that deliberate attempts had been made to rename institutions and places, along with a public declaration for the adoption of a resolution for observing every Friday as a holiday by all institutions of the Government of Manipur, including the offices of DCs/SPs/ZEOs/ADCs/government schools and colleges in the town of Churachandpur.

The chief secretary said such an act of spreading messages/circulating materials/press releases/public notices posed a threat to communal harmony, peaceful coexistence, and internal and national security.

He said the Manipur government viewed the matter very seriously and with utmost sensitivity.

"All public functionaries are requested not to rely on such posts/materials/press releases/public notices which had been illegally generated and spread through different media and also not to follow/to resort to any kind of unwanted act/violence," he said.

The chief secretary added that the Manipur government was taking all possible steps to book the culprits involved under the relevant provisions of law. He said intelligence gathering had been strengthened.

In another statement on October 27, the chief secretary declared the public notice illegal.

He added that deliberate attempts had been made to rename institutions and places, along with a public declaration for the adoption of a resolution for observing every Friday as a holiday by institutions of the Government of Manipur, including the offices of DCs/SPs/ZEOs/ADCs/government schools and colleges in the town of Churachandpur.