Mizoram: Church body, YMA oppose decision to keep banks open on Sunday

Aizawl: Mizoram’s apex church body and largest civil society organisation have strongly opposed the decision to keep public sector banks and regional rural banks open on Sunday.

In a statement on Saturday, the Council of Churches in Mizoram (CCM), representing nine major churches, including the Presbyterian Church of India (PCI) and Baptist Church of Mizoram (BCM), said the decision could interfere with the religious observance of Christians in the state.

Although the decision was taken by authorities to avoid inconvenience to customers ahead of the three-day nationwide agitation by bank employees’ unions from September 28 to 30, it could disturb the religious freedom guaranteed under the Constitution, it said.

“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 statement said.

The church body also appealed to authorities to refrain from taking decisions in the future that could interfere with the observance of Christians’ sacred or important days.

Mizoram’s largest civil society organisation, the Young Mizo Association (YMA), has also objected to the decision.

In a statement on Friday, the central committee of YMA, also known as Central YMA (CYMA), urged the Union Finance Ministry, Reserve Bank of India, banking authorities and the Mizoram government to review its applicability to the state.

The CYMA said it supported uninterrupted banking services for the public but stressed that Mizoram’s religious practices and social customs should also be respected.

It suggested alternatives such as extending banking hours, strengthening ATM and digital banking services and providing emergency banking facilities for people with urgent requirements.

The organisation also urged bank authorities to consult the state government and other stakeholders before taking decisions that could affect the religious practices and social life of the people of Mizoram.