Shillong, Sep 26: The Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU) has thrown a direct challenge at the eight UDP MLAs who recently joined the BJP to stop banking on Sunday.
This came after the Ministry of Finance ordered Public Sector Banks (PSBs) and Regional Rural Banks to remain open on Sunday, ahead of the proposed nationwide bank strike from September 28 to 30.
Other pressure groups like CoMSO and FKJGP have also warned banks if they open tomorrow.
“JSU issues a direct call to action to the newly inducted BJP MLAs of Meghalaya. If these representatives truly value the sentiments of the Christian community and genuinely wish to demonstrate that they are here to work for the Christians of the state, they must immediately take up this issue,” JSU President Jersom Shylla said.
The Union said it is incumbent upon the eight MLAs to ensure “that the alleged ugly ideology of the RSS and BJP — which is widely perceived as anti-Christian — is not allowed to take root or dictate policies in Meghalaya.”
“We expect them to stand with the people they represent and defend our sacred days of rest,” the JSU said.
The JSU in a statement directed all Commercial Banks, Small Finance Banks, Co-operative Banks, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and other financial institutions, especially across East and West Jaintia Hills, to remain closed on Sunday, calling Sunday banking an affront to the religious sentiments and constitutional rights of the indigenous people in the Christian-majority state.
Warning of action if banks defy, the JSU said responsibility for any disruption will lie with the bank management and authorities who ignored the warning.
