GUWAHATI: The Manipur government has directed its employees to exit social media groups which are furthering separatist, anti-national, communal and divisive agenda by 6 pm of August 12.
In an “office memorandum”, special secretary (home) H Gyan Prakash warned that appropriate disciplinary action would be initiated against those found not abiding by it.
The memorandum was issued on Wednesday evening around the time the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) temporarily suspended its indefinite economic blockade on national highways in the state.
The organisation had enforced it demanding the tabling of Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Council (Amendment) Bill 2021 in the Assembly to ensure the hill areas get greater financial and administrative autonomy.
“It has been noticed that many formal and informal groups on social media platforms…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 members of these groups, in order to spread and push their respective agenda, indulge in spreading false information, hate speeches/videos and also share information that is not to be in public domain,” the office memorandum said.
Further, it said information was received that many government officials, including senior officers, are members of these groups, inadvertently or by choice, thereby participating directly or indirectly in the furtherance of such separatist, anti-national, anti-state, anti-social and divisive agenda by contributing, sharing and commenting on blogging and micro blogging sites in a manner unbecoming of a government employee.
The memorandum said participation in such groups may be construed as involvement in activities in contravention of service rules, for which the employees will be liable for disciplinary action.
Meanwhile, the ATSUM said it had decided to suspend the blockade considering the plight of people. It, however, resolved to continue its fight with other forms of agitations in the coming days.