A government order issued by the Manipur administration, designating the upcoming Easter Sunday on March 31 as a working day for all public offices in the conflict-stricken state, sparked public outcry on March 28.
Following the backlash, the state government was compelled to amend the order, clarifying that both Good Friday and Easter Sunday would remain holidays.
On Wednesday, the Manipur government, under the auspices of the Governor, issued directives declaring March 30 (Saturday) and March 31 (Easter Sunday) as working days for all government offices in the state.
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After hours of outrage on Thursday, which leaked onto social media as well, the Manipur government issued an order modifying its earlier order, clarifying that only March 30 (Saturday) was being declared as a working day.
With 41.2% of Manipur's population identifying as Christian according to the 2011 census data, the decision elicited sharp reactions from the Scheduled Tribe community, particularly the Kuki-Zo community, which has endured significant casualties during the ongoing ethnic conflict.
Various religious institutions, civil organizations, and community leaders, including the Poumai Naga Tsiidoumai Me, The Tamenglong Baptist Church, and the Senapati District Catholic Union, denounced the government's rationale of ensuring uninterrupted office operations during the fiscal year-end, labeling it as biased.
The groups had urged the Government of Manipur to swiftly retract the order and demonstrate a commitment to fostering harmony and inclusivity among all religious communities.
Critics characterised the move as yet another instance of targeting by a "Meitei-majority" government. Christian rights groups such as the United Christian Forum (UCF) echoed the sentiments, denouncing the order as unconstitutional.
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also reacted to the order saying, “It is surprising and worrying. It has come in the aftermath of a devastating year in Manipur where violence happened. Amid all this, to hurt the sentiment of one community is a matter of grave concern. The Government of India should intervene and get this withdrawn.”
Soon afterwards, BJP MPs such as Prakash Javadekar and party leaders such as Kerala unit president K. Surendran posted statements on X accusing the Congress of “spreading falsehoods”, while reiterating that Easter Sunday remained a holiday.
They both asserted that the Manipur government had given holidays for both Good Friday and Easter Sunday and went on to accuse the Congress of “having no issues” and relying on “falsehood”.
They continued by questioning the Congress and the Left parties on whether they would condemn the “Hamas attack and terror attack in Russia”.
UCF national coordinator A.C. Michael, a former member of the Delhi Minorities Commission, said, “It seems like a deliberate attempt. It is not possible that they are not aware how important the day is, despite running a State with a 41% Christian population.”
“It is related to the new political narrative we are seeing across the country which demeans minorities,” Mr. Michael said, adding that the UCF’s helpline for anti-Christian violence had recorded 731 violent incidents against Christians in 2023, a significant increase since the helpline started functioning in 2015.
“In Manipur, the majority of Christians are Baptists and Presbyterians. For Baptists, their Easter Sunday service often runs till late afternoon. It will be very difficult for them to leave the church and go,” he explained.
“They tried to test the waters. When they saw the protests, they walked it back. But the point is, would they dare to ask the same of Hindus on Diwali?" Michael asked.
The imbroglio unfolds against the backdrop of impending Lok Sabha elections in Manipur, scheduled to be held in two phases on April 19 and 26.
Inner Manipur, predominantly comprising Meitei voters, is slated to vote on April 19, while Outer Manipur, home to significant tribal populations, will vote on both dates.
Ethnic tensions between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities have simmered, resulting in over 200 casualties since May 3 of the preceding year.
The Kuki-Zo community, predominantly Christian, has alleged complicity on the part of the administration of Chief Minister N. Biren Singh in attacks targeting their ethnic identity.
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