Opposing ST demand for Meeteis/Meiteis : KKL rips apart ATSUM's stand
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 24 2022: Coming out strongly against All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM), the Kangleipak Kanba Lup (KKL) has questioned the former's agenda for road-blocking the demand of ST status for Meitei/Meetei community.

Speaking to media persons at its office at Paona Keithel, Kangleipak Kanba Lup (KKL) secretary Ngamkheingakpa Luwang said the demand for ST status is to safeguard the Meitei/Meetei and ensure their survival as an ethnic community of Manipur.

"The ST demand is simply to protect the community.

Why is ATSUM opposing this legitimate demand? Should the Meitei/Meetei not ask for protection when it is being threatened with extinction," he said.

ATSUM submitting written representations to the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs and Tribal Commission is most unfortunate.

Whether to grant ST status or not is the sole right of the competent Ministry of the Centre.

ATSUM has no say in this regard and it should not interfere, said the KKL secretary.

A Constitutional safeguard is a must to protect the Meitei/Meetei community, he said, asking ATSUM to answer for acting against the demand for ST status.

"ATSUM should provide an answer for their action against the demand for ST status.

Are all the constituent indigenous tribal student bodies on the same page with ATSUM? They should provide an answer and make their stand clear within 15 days," he said.

If an answer is not given, KKL would be launching protests against ATSUM.

Good or bad, all activities of ATSUM will be boycotted, he said.

Further, ATSUM's office in Imphal will also be closed if it doesn't respond and gives a clear answer, he said.

"There are lots who are not indigenous people but protected by the Constitution as Scheduled Tribe.

If they act against the interest of the indigenous people [Meitei/Meetei] when the community is facing threat of being extinct in the near future, then we will also act against their interest and contest their Constitutional status".

He clarified that the demand for ST status for the Meitei/Meetei community was launched with the sole objective to protect the community.

It was a decision taken carefully to save the community and protect its identity.

The indigenous community is facing threat on multiple fronts and is certainly facing extinction in near future.

The demand was launched considering all these.

Inclusion of the community in the list of the Scheduled Tribes would give them Constitutional safeguard.

ATSUM and all concerned should carefully study the demand before acting against the interest of the indigenous community, he said.

Moreover, the hill area is about 92 percent of the total land area while the valley covers just 8 percent.

When agricultural areas, wetlands, lakes roads and other inhabitable areas are excluded, the Meitei/Meetei community is residing in about less than 3 percent of the total land.

And these 3 percent of land also has other communities residing besides the Meiteis/Meeteis, he said.

Further the Meiteis/Meeteis cannot buy land in the hill areas.

This alone is a major problem when the valley area is becoming more and more congested every year.

Most importantly, there are many tribal villages in Imphal and other valley areas.

The Meitei/Meetei community has never once opposed their settlement.

Instead, the community has been fostering brotherly and sisterly relations with the villages.

When the Meiteis/Meeteis are facing existential threat, the tribal communities should also help and assist them, he said.

ATSUM's opposing position in the matter regarding ST demand would have detrimental impact on the relationship between the hills and the valley, he added.

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