Shillong, Sep 26: A routine order asking Public Sector Banks and Regional Rural Banks to work this Sunday ahead of the three-day nationwide bank strike from September 28-30 has snowballed into a political and religious flashpoint in Meghalaya.
On paper, the Ministry of Finance directive is about continuity of financial services. On the ground, in a state with over 75% Christian population, it is being read as an attack on a sacred day.
Three pressure groups—Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (CoMSO), Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) and the Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU)—have warned banks not to open or face public action. Sunday is being described not as a holiday, but as a “sacred day set apart by God”, a constitutional right and a marker of indigenous identity.
Local bank managers cannot defy the Ministry, nor can these groups force Delhi to withdraw a pan-India order.
On Saturday, the JSU threw a direct challenge at the eight UDP MLAs who recently joined the BJP to stop banking on Sunday.
“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.
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,” the union said.
“We expect them to stand with the people they represent and defend our sacred days of rest.
“The opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) termed the order “uncalled for”, saying Sunday is ordinarily a weekly day of rest and, particularly in Meghalaya and the North-East, a day of public worship for the Christian community. It sought reconsideration and dialogue with bank employees.
A full withdrawal by the Finance Ministry is unlikely given the order is pan-India, but on the ground in Meghalaya, banks that open tomorrow risk confrontation.
