Govt warns employees; ITLF sticks to shutdown plan
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 18 2024: Taking the 'public' notice issued by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Forum (ITLF), Churachandpur to close all state government offices in Churachandpur from Monday very seriously and with utmost sensitiveness, the government of Manipur declared that no employee of state and central governments in the district shall heed the ITLF diktat.

An order issued by chief secretary Dr Vineet Joshi on Sunday advised all central and state government authorities as well as management authorities of institutions/establishment/autonomous bodies in the district to ensure strict attendance of staff and students as usual.

Terming the ITLF public notice issued on Saturday as illegal and without any authority, Dr Vineet Joshi cautioned the employees that not reporting for duty would entail relevant punitive action.

The ITLF notice has gone viral on different media platforms including WhatsApp groups, Dr Vineet Joshi noted in the order adding that 'No work, No pay' shall also be enforced by all the state government offices/institutions against those employees who do not attend their official duty without authorised leave.

According to Dr Vineet Joshi, a large number of relief camps are operating in Churachandpur district where many children, aged persons, pregnant & lactating mothers, specially-abled persons are residing and their regular care is being taken.

Disbursement of third assistance for purchase of clothing and personal belongings amounting Rs 1000 per person is scheduled to start for the residents of relief camps while examinations of CBSE have started and preparations for state board examinations are in full swing.

In view of the above points and the importance of upholding the integrity of government institutions and establishments, no one shall or attempt to make any deliberate effort to follow or enforce the ITLF notice at any cost.

In case of any violation of the government order, the person(s) concerned without any exception shall be booked and prosecuted under relevant provision of law of land, Dr Vineet Joshi said in the order.

The order also directed district magistrates and superintendent of police of all districts to take up necessary action to enforce the government orders and readily address the genuine grievances of any citizen of their district.

The notice was issued in the backdrop of ITLF directing government employees in Churachandpur district to refrain from attending work from Monday over the suspension of a head constable who was allegedly seen with armed men in a video grab.

The ITLF made the call to press for its demand for the revocation of the suspension of head constable Siamlalpaul and "immediate replacement" of Superintendent of Police Shivanand Surve and Deputy Commissioner Dharun Kumar.

"More than 24 hours have passed since the ITLF gave an ultimatum to cancel the suspension order of head constable Siamlalpaul and replace Churachandpur SP and DC but so far, no cancellation or replacement has been done," the Front said in a statement, cautioning that "State government employees should refrain from going to office...

it will be their sole responsibility if any untoward incident happens".

The ITLF decided to close down all government offices in the district effective from Monday (February 19) following expiry of the ultimatum it served to government authorities to replace the DC and the SP, and reverse the suspension order of the head police constable within 24 hours.

"As previously announced, all state government offices located in the district will be closed on Monday, February 19, 2024, until further notice," stated ITLF president Pagin and secretary Muan Tombing in a public notice while making an appeal to all the state government employees from the district to abstain from going to office.

"If someone is seen at the office, they will be held accountable if something unfortunate were to happen to them", they maintained and informed the public that financial, medical, and educational institutions will be exempted from the purview of the shutdown.

It further said: "There will be no burial of the two martyrs from the Wall of Remembrance Massacre until an amicable agreement is arrived at".

At least two people were killed and 30 injured in firing by security forces after a mob barged into a government complex housing the SP and DC offices, torched vehicles and ransacked government property in Churachandpur, hours after the suspension of the head constable on February 15.Head constable Siamlalpaul was kept "under suspension with immediate effect until further orders" after a video of him with "armed men" and "sitting together with village volunteers" went viral on social media.

"This tantamount to very grave misconduct being a member of the disciplined police force," a police order said.

"A departmental inquiry is being contemplated against Siamlalpaul of Churachandpur district police, as a clip has gone viral on social media showing him making a video with armed men on February 14," the order stated.

Siamlalpaul has been asked not to "leave the station without prior permission" and "his pay and allowances have been restricted to subsistence allowance admissible as per the rules", it said.

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