Memorandum to PM : Enlist Meetei in Scheduled Tribe List

15th July 2022

To
Shri Narendra Modiji,
Hon’ble Prime Minister,
Government of India
New Delhi

Subject : Prayer to intervene in the process of enlisting Meetei (Manipuri) in the Scheduled Tribe status list

Hon’ble Sir,

Heartfelt greetings from World Meetei Council!

WMC would like to draw your kind attention to the need of Constitutional Protection for Meetei community who are genuine indigenous people of Manipur. The topography of Manipur is such that it is a hilly state, 91 percent of the area is covered by hills and the remaining 9% is valley located at the centre which is surrounded by the hills.

In 1950-51 while determining the ethnicity of the Meetei by a parliamentary committee during the commencement of the Indian Constitution Meetei community was mistaken as a part of Aryan society and therefore constitutionally Meetei are not rightful citizens in their own state of Manipur that is, in more than 90 percent area of Manipur Meetei people cannot own land and any landed properties as these are kept protected for the native indigenous people who are listed as Scheduled Tribes. The paradox is Meetei being the indigenous people like the Nagas but because of our being Hindus we were constitutionally counted as Aryans and hence cannot be rightful citizens as we are put as general category.

The fact of the matter is today, the valley is the only area where Meetei people along with all other communities of India can live rightfully. This valley is found to be the home of even for illegal migrants from other countries – Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nepal and has resulted to an abnormal growth of population.

Today the Meetei, the genuine indigenous people with a population of hardly 14 lakhs are left in the midst of 140 crore Indians without any constitutional protection. This is a case of gross injustice.

Therefore, the Meetei people have been demanding inclusion in the list of Scheduled Tribes of the Indian Constitution since 2012.

The Meetei community fulfill all five criteria of the Lokur Committee to include in the list of scheduled Tribes but the process has been in standstill. It may be pertinent to mention here that the people are eagerly waiting for the Manipur government to send the two reports (a) Ethnography and (b) Socio-economic reports of the Meetei people as asked by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India since 2013.

However, the Hon'ble CM of Manipur had committed in the Manipur Assembly in its monsoon session in the year 2019 saying that the government would send the reports as "..... even the Iningthou (the current Rajya Sabha MP Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba) has come out in public..." demanding Scheduled Tribe status for the Meetei people. However the Manipur government has yet to send the reports till date.

This is the reason for approaching you as Meetei people has no other way.

Sir, therefore, WMC earnestly request you to kindly intervene into the matter so that, we Meetei people could get justice.

High regards
Yours sincerely
Heigrujam Nabashyam
Chairman
World Meetei Council

Copy with high regards to:
1. Hon'ble President of India
2. Hon’ble Union Home Minister, Government of India
3. Hon'ble Chief Minister of Manipur