Mizo National Front (MNF) has called and enforced a statewide Total Bandh today from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. across Mizoram, in protest against the adoption of the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023 (FCAA 2023) by the Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM)-led government. The MNF stated that the bandh aims to pressure the government to revoke the official resolution passed in the Mizoram Legislative Assembly on August 27, 2025, which approved the implementation of FCAA 2023 in the state. In a press release issued late last evening, MNF Secretary for Media and Publicity, Lallenmawia Jongte, said the protest reflects the “will of the people of Mizoram, who have consistently opposed the FCAA 2023.” The bandh has the backing of the Mizo People Conference, Joint Civil Society of Mizoram, comprising various political parties, NGOs, and community-based organizations.
The MNF argued that the Forest (Conservation) Amendment Act, 2023 undermines the special constitutional protections of Mizoram guaranteed under Article 371(G), which prevents any Act of Parliament concerning ownership or transfer of land from applying to the state unless approved by its Legislative Assembly. The party also warned that the amendment’s new provision — Section 1A, which allows the Central Government to authorize “strategic and developmental projects” within 100 kilometres of international borders — could place the entire state under Central control, leading to deforestation and ecological damage.
MNF leaders recalled that the previous MNF-led government had officially opposed the FCAA 2023 through a resolution in August 2023, and at that time, Chief Minister Lalduhoma, then in the opposition, had also spoken strongly against it. As of this morning, reports indicate that shops, transport, and institutions remain largely closed in major towns including Aizawl, Lunglei, and Champhai, while security has been tightened to ensure the bandh remains peaceful. The MNF reiterated that the bandh is a peaceful demonstration intended to “safeguard Mizoram’s land, forests, and constitutional rights.”
