The Manipur government has asked officials to quit formal and informal groups on social media platforms that further “separatist, anti-national, communal and divisive agendas”, and has also asked for a compliance report from all government departments.
The move comes amid reports that bureaucracy and the police are split on ethnic lines in Manipur, as the State continues to battle ethnic violence.
The Manipur government filed a status report in the Supreme Court on August 1, and the letter sent by T. Ranjit Singh, Commissioner (Home) is a part of it.
“It has been noticed that many formal and informal groups on social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and other chat groups are engaged in furthering separatist, anti-national, anti-State, anti-social, communal and divisive agendas which cause disturbance in existing peaceful social harmony and law and order situation of the State,” the letter read.
The document also accused social media groups’ members of spreading false information, hate speech and videos, and sharing information which should not be available in public domain, to push their own agendas.
Government officials were warned that being part of such groups is “in contravention of Rules 5 and 7 or both of All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, and Rules 5, 9, and 11 or all three of Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964”, and such members are liable to face disciplinary action.
This, however, is not the first time such instructions have been issued. Similar guidelines were also issued in August 2022.
So far, more than 150 people have died in the ethnic violence in Manipur between Kuki and Meitei communities since May 3. Violence broke out during a tribal solidarity march in Churachandpur district that was being held to protest the demand of non-tribal Meiteis, who dominate the Imphal Valley, for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status. In April 2023, the Manipur High Court directed the State government to consider the request of the community’s inclusion within four weeks. The tribal groups argue that Meiteis have a demographic and political advantage besides being more advanced than them academically and in other aspects, and that the ST status for Meiteis would lead to loss of job opportunities and allow Meiteis to acquire land in the hills and push the tribals out.
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