The Manipur government has directed officials to quit social media groups that promote “separatist, anti-national, communal and divisive agendas”.

The directive was issued by Special Secretary (Home) H Gyan Prakash on August 10, and it has been mentioned in the status report submitted by the Manipur government to the Supreme Court.

At least 187 people have been killed and nearly 60,000 have been forced to flee their homes since violence broke out between the Kuki and Meitei communities in the Northeastern state on May 3. Several media reports have pointed to divisions along ethnic lines within security forces and the bureaucracy.

The Manipur government said in its directive: “It has been noticed that many formal and informal groups on social media platforms such as Facebook, WhatsApp, and other chat groups 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.”

The order noted that many government officials are members of such groups, either inadvertently or by choice. It said that the participation of government officers in social media groups that promote allegedly separatist or divisive agendas could be construed as being in contravention to their service rules.

The memorandum said that disciplinary action will be taken against officials if they do not exit such groups within 48 hours.

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On July 14 as well, the state government had urged all sections of the public, including public functionaries, to restrain themselves from making statements targeting any community or spreading rumours. The directive had been issued in a notification issued by T Ranjit Singh, Commissioner (Home) in the Manipur government.

The Supreme Court is currently hearing a batch of petitions seeking action to control the violence. On August 7, it directed former Maharashtra Director General of Police Dattatray Padsalgikar to monitor the Central Bureau of Investigation’s inquiry into the ethnic violence.