Shillong, September 25: The Federation of Khasi Jaiñtia and Garo People (FKJGP) has strongly opposed the Ministry of Finance’s decision requiring employees of various banks to report for duty on September 27, 2026, which falls on a Sunday.
Bank employees’ unions are scheduled to stage a strike from September 28 to 30 to press for various demands. Against this backdrop, the Central Government has directed bank employees to work on Sunday, stating that uninterrupted banking services require the banks to remain open.
However, the FKJGP pointed out that Meghalaya is a predominantly Christian state, with Christians constituting more than 75 per cent of the population.
“Sunday is not merely a weekly holiday; for Christians, it is a sacred day specially set apart by God,” said FKJGP General Secretary Eldie Newton Lyngdoh.
“It is a day when families attend church services to worship God and pray,” he added.
The FKJGP questioned whether the Ministry was aware that compelling employees to work on Sunday in a predominantly Christian state could amount to a failure to respect religious rights guaranteed under the Constitution.
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The organisation also expressed concern that the order was issued from Delhi without consultation with the Meghalaya Government, church organisations or employees.
The FKJGP urged the Ministry of Finance, the Reserve Bank of India and the Meghalaya Government to immediately review the feasibility of implementing the order in Meghalaya and explore alternatives that would respect the observance of Sunday.
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At the same time, the FKJGP appealed to BJP MLAs to take up the matter with the authorities immediately.
The federation warned that if the order is not withdrawn, it would be compelled to take strong steps to prevent banks from operating on that day.
[…] Also read: FKJGP Opposes Sunday Bank Operations, Seeks Review of Finance Ministry Order […]