Ne Win also tried to push for monks to register with the government, but this was strongly resisted by the Burmese sanghas. It was only during 1980-81 that general Sein Lwin, serving as Minister of Home and Religious Affairs, finally forced all monks to register and get their own ID cards with the government. He also formed the 47-member State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee as a governing body for all monks in the country who had the power to disrobe "misbehaving" monks (i.e. politically involved monks). Numerous monks were attacked and persecuted during this period. Even highly respected figures like Mahasi Sayadaw and Mingun Sayadaw were targeted (since they had shown reluctance to work with the new Maha Nayaka Committee).