Meitei for inclusion in the Scheduled list

Ningthoujam Nilachandra *

Saroi Khangba (propitiation of the evil spirits) at Keishampat on 21st February 2015 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam

On December 18, 1981, the Government of Manipur, in a demi official letter vide D.O. No. : 1/114/81-CM addressed to the Union Government on the issue of inclusion of Meitei in the list of Scheduled Tribes states: “The state Govt. did not specifically recommend the case of Meitei for inclusion in the Scheduled list. The opinion of R.G.I. on the Meitei that they possess no characters of the Tribes is correct.

Meitei was formed by seven tribes in the long past. They are Hindus assuming the status of Kshytrya Caste in the ladder of Hindu castes. They are the dominant group in Manipur. They have been now included in the list of other Backward-Classes. There is no need of listing them in the list of Scheduled Tribes now.”

The above D.O. letter made available some months ago reveals that the Manipur Government did not specifically recommend the Meiteis for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes list based on the objection by Registrar General of India (RGI) that the Meiteis are Hindu Kshytrya caste, the Meiteis are dominant group in Manipur and are listed in the Other Backward Classes.

The arguments stated by RGI may be taken up as follows: Meiteis are Mongoloid tribes being of the same stock of tribes in Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and Assam etc. Anthropology and Sociology are of the undivided opinion as to the racial classification of the Meities. Meiteis are regarded by them as Indo Mongoloid, not as Aryans. According to renowned scholar Sunitikumar Chatterjee in his book “Kirata-Jana-Kirti”, Meitei is classified as Kirat i.e. Indo Mongoloid group of people.

On adoption of Hinduism by the Meities, it is clear that Meitei are not fully Hindunised i.e. they worship their ancient religious gods and Hindu gods as well. Regarding food habit – they are omnivorous. On the other hand, only the Aryans can adopt Hinduism (by Vivekananda). Food habit is also quite different, the Hindus are vegetarians in majority.

Further it is worth mentioning that Hindu faith is not a promulgating sect of religion while Buddhism, Christianity and Islamism are promulgating religions. It is mentioned in the book titled “Bamon Hourakpham” by Shri Kulachandra Sharma that incidentally one nobleman happened to learn from a Brahmin about the valour and chivalry of Lord Ramachandra.

He wanted to worship Rama to gain divine power, thus, adopted Ramanya Dharma. Having learnt of his adoption and purpose the then king also called on the Brahmin and the king also had adopted the same faith.

Thus, in 1708 AD, King Pamheiba (Garibaniwaj) declared Ramanya Dharma as state religion and forced the people to accept the faith with severe punishment. Those Brahmins (Aryans) as the head priests were all refugees to Manipur who ventured to reach Manipur to escape the severe torture at the hands of the Mughal Emperors in their different states of India.

Their intention was not to propagate their faith (Hinduism) but did so unable to raise objection to the will of the head of Monarchy in Manipur. They married Kabui, Mohmmadan and Meitei women and sank into the Tribal society of Meiteis. Therefore, Meitei as Kshytriya caste claimed by R.G.I. is deceitful.

Mention may be made of enjoying S.T. status by many Aryan Hindu section of people in many states of India.

On the question of Meiteis as dominant group of people in Manipur – Majority of tribes of Manipur is Meitei tribes but dominance in all fields is questionable. Economically majority of Meiteis cannot be taken as dominant. They mostly live in villages working on wage earning basis. Their land can be sold out to any citizen of India, so deprivation of their homestead land are rampant to certain Meitei individuals.

We witness non-Meiteis are purchasing homestead lands in Imphal to a large scale. Meiteis live in valley areas covered by MLR&LR Act, they have to pay Income Tax, Wealth Tax and Revenue etc. which the other tribes enlisted in S.T. get exemption. Trade and commercial dominance is in the hands of non-Manipuris.

Meiteis are buying group of people whereas non-Manipuris are selling and hoarding people. Moreover there are dominant scheduled tribes in other states like Mizos in Mizoram, Aos and Angamis in Nagaland, Deb Burmans in Tripura etc.

It is surprising how Meiteis Tribe’s dominance over other tribes of Manipur is an objectionable character to the inclusion of Meitei in the list of Scheduled Tribes contradicting inclusion of dominant tribes in ST list in other N.E. States.

On the question of Meiteis adopting Other Backward Classes: It is a kind of life saving drug, say R.N.A. drift to a dying patient. OB.C. status to Meiteis is the only least benefit enjoyable by General classed Meiteis of about 9 lakhs contesting with 100 crores OBCs of other states.

Lastly, the well established criteria generally adopted for specification of a community for inclusion in the list of S.T. are (a) indications of primitive traits; (b) distinctive culture; (c) shyness of contact with the community at large; (d) geographical isolation i.e. backwardness. It also takes into account the definition in the 1931 census and the reports of the 1st backward classes commission (Kalekar) 1955 and subsequent advisory committees and joint committee of parliament on the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes orders (Amendment Bill) etc.

We have discovered MEITEIS recorded in 1931 census as Hindu tribe, in 1901 as main tribe and in 1891 as forest tribes. Taking into accounts the criteria and census report, it would not be an exaggeration to say that RGI conceitfully rejected inclusion of Meitei tribes in the list of S.T. on malicious grounds.

Now, Meiteis should join hands to strengthen our S.T. DEMAND which we have been deprived of for the last 65 years, remembering that the Government of Manipur and M.L.As of 1981 have misled the Meiteis possessing primitive traits, the most important criterion.