Imphal: The Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) on Tuesday has strongly condemned and opposed the recent ‘no work no pay’ circular issued by the Manipur government, demanding the government employees at their place of posting.
Terming the order as unrealistic, insensitive, and malafide, ITLF said that the tribal communities, who constitute a portion of the state government’s workforce, have been subjected to inhumane treatment in the Imphal Valley and elsewhere and hunted like animals since May 3, 2023.
“Their homes, properties, personal documents, and belongings have been looted and burned, leaving them without any means to return to work or their residence,” claimed Ginza Vualzong, media and publicity, ITLF.
The circular, according to the ITLF, is an affront to the principles of equality, justice, and compassion that should guide the actions of any responsible administration, which the state government persistently lacks.
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The tribal body further urged the Center to take immediate steps to provide justice, security, and rehabilitation, among many others, to the affected tribal communities and advise the state administration to withdraw its ‘no-work-no-pay’ order immediately.
While highlighting few incidents, ITLF informed that Letminthang Haokip, a tribal tax assistant, was dragged out from his official quarter and burned alive along with his belongings. Union Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman, and the IRS Association mourned his tragic demise, it said.
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Furthermore, two tribal girls were mercilessly killed by a Meitei mob, and suspected to have been raped as well, while a nursing student was forcefully evicted from her hostel amidst horrifying threats of “rape her” and “kill her.” These accounts of violence continue with a construction worker enduring beatings so severe that his barely breathing body was left in the morgue, it mentioned in the statement.
ITLF further stated that it is utterly insensitive for the Meitei-centric state government of Manipur to expect these traumatised individuals or their families to resume their duties in an environment where their safety and well-being cannot be guaranteed.
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It may be noted that on Monday night, General Administration Department (GAD) secretary Michael Achom issued a circular stating that “……all employees drawing their salaries from GAD, Manipur Secretariat are informed that no work no pay may be invoked to all those employees who do not attend their official duty without authorised leave.”
The decision was taken after chief minister N Biren Singh chaired a cabinet meeting on June 12 following a growing absenteeism at official work place amid the ethnic conflict which began on May 3.
Manipur government has nearly 1 lakh employees.
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