Manipur government asks its staff to exit 'anti-national', 'communal' social media groups

The Manipur government has directed its staff to leave social media groups, which are engaged in spreading "separatist", "anti-national" and "communal" agendas, as per an official document. An office memorandum issued by Special Secretary (Home) H Gyan Prakash late on Wednesday, said the state government employees must exit such groups on WhatsApp and Facebook by 6 pm on August 12.

"It has been noticed that many formal and informal groups on social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp and other chatgroups are engaged in furthering separatist, anti-national, anti-state, anti-social, communal and divisive agendas which cause disturbance in existing peaceful social harmony and law and order situation of the State," said the memorandum.

"Whereas, information has been received that many government officials including many senior officers are members of these groups inadvertently or by choice, thereby participating directly or indirectly in the furtherance of such separatist, anti-national, anti-state, anti-social and divisive agendas," it added.


The members of these groups, in order to spread and push their respective agenda, indulge in spreading false information, hate speech and videos, and also share information which are not to be in the public domain, the memorandum said.

Failure to exit such groups will lead to appropriate disciplinary action for violating certain provisions of All India Services (Conduct) Rules 1968 and Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules 1964, the government said to its staff.

Violence broke out in parts of the state last week over the demand for more autonomy for the tribal-dominated hill districts, following which the government suspended mobile internet services for more than two days.