Photo Courtesy: nenow
Aizawl: Mizoram's top religious leaders and its biggest civil society group are fighting a plan to keep public sector and regional rural banks open this Sunday. They claim the move tramples on local religious traditions. Authorities opened the doors to help customers beat a scheduled three-day national strike involving bank unions from September 28 to 30.
The Council of Churches in Mizoram, which speaks for nine major denominations like the Presbyterian Church of India and the Baptist Church of Mizoram, fired back in a Saturday statement. They argued the policy threatens the constitutional right to worship. "Sunday is an important religious day for a large section of the people of Mizoram and a day for worshipping God. We strongly oppose arrangements that could disturb the religious freedom guaranteed under the Constitution of India," the group said.
The Central YMA, the state's most powerful civil society body, also slammed the decision on Friday. They asked the Union Finance Ministry, the Reserve Bank of India, and the local government to scrap the plan for the state. While they support access to cash, they believe banking should not override local customs. The association proposed extending weekday hours, boosting ATM capacity, and improving digital banking as better alternatives. They also warned officials to consult local stakeholders before making similar choices that disrupt daily life in the future.
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