What Meiteis will benefit when listed as Schedule Tribe ?

B. Angousana Sharma *

Saroi Khangba at Lamta Thangja on 05 March 2011

The term Schedule and Tribe are both nouns but schedule as adjective adorned the term Tribe in this subject. Schedule is the Time, a fixed- appointed time, a planned time considered to be given to a particular community, who settled/settling away from the city or town, who are also adopting the same culture, speaking same language into the Society. To discuss upon benefit or loss when listed into the scheduled Tribe column of schedule of Indian constitution would be immaterial while discussing into the schedule tribe but to clarifly the term "Scheduled Tribe". Therefore, Scheduled Tribe is the Community for whom the existing government has extended a planned time for own development within.

Although the article 244(i) of 5th Schedule of Indian Constitution has short term and form to be more clear to the people. But, the Oxford or Cambridge dictionary is concern the term scheduled Tribe is found more clearer as; The group, the community or clan who are stay away from the cities and towns but maintained own culture, own language, settled at a concentrated area, having lack of development etc. described.

The 5th Schedule of Constitution of India has no more description so as to proof more details of a scheduled Tribe. As if the Vth Schedule maintained seven paragraphs as :
(1) Interprets the expression "State" for the purposes of the schedule;
(2) Provides that subject to the provision of the schedule, executive power of a state;
(3) Provides to executive power of the Union shall extend to the giving of directions to the state as to the administration of the schedule area lying in such state and that the Governor of such state shall submit an annual or periodical report to the president in this regard;
(4) Provides that Tribes Advisory Council shall be constituted in the states having schedule areas and in other states if so directed by the president, to give advice on matters pertaining to the welfare and advancement of the Scheduled Tribes in the states as may be referred to them by the Governor concerned; and the Governor has been empowered to make Rules prescribing or regulating the composition of such Tribes Advisory Council, conduct of its meeting and procedure, etc. under
(5) the Governor has beem empowered to direct, by public notification, that any particular Act of parliament or of the Legislative of the state shall not apply to a scheduled area or shall apply subject to exceptions or modification, and also to make regulations to prohibit or restrict the transfer of land by or among members of the scheduled Tribes, regulate the allotment of land, and also money lending subject to the assent of the President,
(6) Defines the Scheduled areas as may be declared by th President by order, and provides that he may, by order, direct cesser of such area, increase or alter any such area, and rescind any order made under this paragraph, and (7) Provides that only Parliament has the power to amend this paragraph.

It is further clarify that the Vth Schedule is not a basic feature of the constitution. It is a temporary feature and will continue so long as the protection of the Tribe will be required, to be given, to the members of the scheduled areas. This is the real penetrating criterion in the valley of Manipur.

The more confusing and puzzling injection in the unity of Manipur is the divide and rule, attempting to enchroach by VIth Schedule. In Manipur it is answerable to all citizens of Manipur. Therefore, the community other than Manipuries settled since time immemorial, though led by Meiteis have jointly constituted and administered the groups of people is concerned to be indegenious Manipuries. Those communities have to maintain an equilibrium.

Scheduled Tribe is neither touchable nor untouchable, nor it is relevant to Dharma. Our concern is the heritage, the culture so maintained since time immemorial. In short term the Meiteis had adopted the different Dharmas as they wish, though they are still adopting own heritage, like; Being Sanaton Meitei worshiped Sanamahi (the deity),
the formalities of Epan Thaba (the Ceremony of a child after 6th day of birth);
Thou Touee, Khayom Lakee, Yelhing Thai (these are formalities which perform when a person either sick or need for treatment);
Cheiraoee (maintained local New year);
Cheithai (when New year came a person who will be local tantric use to accept to bear the ill fate of the King for the year);
Kwaktalli (it is a scheduled day to evade crow);
Usin Silli (on the auspicious New year day every person offer a Ngamu, the local fish to the deity, so that ill fate of the person of the year evade)
Saroi Khangngi (on the first Saturday of the last month of the year LAMDA the women folk use to lay food on the road crosses; the same ceremony use to perform on the last Saturday of the last month to face local spirit which presumed to harm individual lives);
Lai Haraoee (every Meitei village has local deity under the woodsland which normally exposed Happiness (Haraoba) once in a year);
when a Meitei died the person will only declare dead i.e. Maiba (Veida) other wise a degree holding doctor can not declare dead.

Thus, Meitei SANATANS (HINDUS) use to adopt the heritage without being discard the old culture.

It is also true that other Manipuries who have converted Dharma other then SANATAN they use to avoid the tribal culture.

This would also prove that the Meiteis had been tribals, also remained as tribals even after awareness of DHARMA system came into existence Meiteis had never kicked off own heritage. Thus Manipur had no city and culture of city also, still Imphal Valley being capital of the state presumed to have been town or city, however, Meiteis have no idea of the city life till reached to Guwahati. We were living as tribal. In the midst Imphal had the look to have been city. In reality it is not so.

In the sense, with the thought of little neaty life witnessed in the valley have been begotious hence concept of high and low prevailed; which would be the fact for denying to be tribal in Meiteis. If planned Manipur to bring under Article 244(2) and 275(2) of the Indian Constituion it would be great misfortune. It may happen due to conspiracy; in spite of unity it will cause differences.

Meitei has own status, which is still maintaining. Because, the fervent adaptation of own heritage described. When Bharatavarsha declared freedom from the midnight of 14th/15th August, 1947 the Rastra–swayam-sevak–Sangh (RSS) has immediately established ADIM-JATI School during 1948, in all over the country. RSS has extended the facility of ADIM JATI in Manipur for the village dwellers who can not provide educations for the children, in the year 1953. For that, 9.5 acres of land acquired in Manipur to the adjacent of the Dhanamanjuri College, Imphal. In the institution 100 (50 boys +50 girls) children have been provided the hostel facility.

But, today the institution has been declained. The High School has been merged to the Lila Singh Khongnangkhong High School. There is a lower school in the name of little School; for which Shri Hungyo the Secretary Adim Jati has written a letter to the Head Master for vacation of the school. The area has been covered by MBC (Manipur Baptist Church); in the sense the meaning to Tribal or heritage has been wiped out; there is another building in the name of Tribal Research Institution; there is another huge building in which Polytechnic College was running, but now the building is utilizing for Tribal University where 1st session was instituted. However, the Meiteis had least interest to know about ADIM JATI which was hardly afforded by RSS; thus, appearance of ADIM JATI is dim in Manipur due to lack of interest of the idea of RSS. This would be nature of human races with the character to demolish the others footstep and establish own thought. I don't blame any one though duty of the generation is to draw TRUTH.

We had been together for generations in equal status but with politics of Divide and Rule of India have suppressed Manipur. The Bharata Government introduced various policies which of the reason administrators could not properly discuss the constitution, which today dupaded the generation. The heaviest paged, unable to grip, rather difficult to ignore by the people of the nation has dust the eyes of the people. For example; the governors, the President the land reformation etc. have been discussed under Article 366, 342 according to the relevant situation prevailed. Notwithstanding the above the Articles of the constitution are being or been discussed about scheduled Tribe. Till then no appropriate discisions have been layed.

Therefore, attention would also invite the opinions of the politicians in regards of questions, answers or administration, legislative and judiciary in connection with scheduled tribe.

If we discussed about 5th Schedule there must have connectivity in between Union Government, Governor, State Legislative Assembly with the parliament. Have to have co-ordination with the Tribal Advisory Council. Because, the 5th and 6th Schedules have similar looks which make confused in some angles. Therefore, Manipur is to be kept away from 6th Schedule; moreover implementation of 5th Schedule would sure to have been guided the power of the Governor by a Tribal Advisory Council. Otherwise, there must have directives of the constitution.

These are all out put of the long time sleep of the Meitei Society. These are the result of the self centred father, mother, grand-mother and grand fathers of the society. Thus, numbers of societies have been immersed into dark. We have experienced the China has gong ararm to Bharatavarsha in the year 1962. Thus, we have to gong a war. The Armed revolutionists also would have own ideologies and might draw under the leadership of right direction, presumed; rather revolution of the people without weopon is waiting by the time. In the sense, it is nothing but revolution of unity, it is the way to improve economy, to step up the status of the society.

It is the story of EQUILIBRIUM. Therefore, as need of equilibrium in the society equal vision would be first step. To achieve equal vision fabrication of an equal balance of administration, would called SYSTEM. To make balance of administration in the present scenario of Manipur is not possible, because, Manipuri Meitei being smallest populated community has been listed into general caste, has long been losing the already granted facilities; and already over headed populated communities have been availing the facilities. At such critical juncture of differences the trapp under Articles244(2) and 275(2) of 6th Schedule, of the Indian constitution trying to handicap the Manipur Land and Revenue Act (MLR), has compelled to weaken Manipur, confusing the children, and puzzled society which is leading to the dark. Full of dirt in the society. The leaders who should direct the society are cutting their lips; the old helpless weak guardians are standing with the help of sticks with lament.

The dupaded representatives of the Bharat Govt. have been trying to misappropriate Meiteis for long. The opportunist who are selfish are trying to hoard properties without boggling. At such, society is going on wrong track. Therefore, if we have to think for a society of equal status we have to stone the infrastructure for development of economy, status of living, the system of education, employment problem so as to enter through a single door for a common platform on the part of competition.

If do so, Meitei would allow to face MPSC/UPSC examinations in the category of scheduled tribe and would, face the competition. On doing so to list Meiteis into the scheduled tribe category would certainly not hesitating by all. With some knowledgeable persons would think otherwise to be Schedule Tribe. In reality it is not so. In Himachal Pradesh Rajputs, Brahmans are schedule Tribes; in Tripura the descendents of the Kings are scheduled tribes; in Bodo land Brahmas being Brahman are listed in scheduled tribe; in Sikkim the Bhutias are Rajputs though are scheduled Tribes .

On the other hand Christains are listed in general caste in Kerala. Because, they had given up the heritages and culture of the fore father, they became knower of Dharma and have the thought of new society. Therefore, they have to enter into the list of General Caste. However, Meitei is such indeginous community who are still following the primitive culture and heritage of the fore father even being adopted the SANATANA or Gour Denomination or SAMPRADAYA of Hindu. In turn, Gaur has not demolished, damaged the heritage of the indegenity. Therefore it is logic and fit to claim to be scheduled tribe since the status is fixed on culture, not that on DHARMA.

If we determined to conclude the problem of scheduled tribe the Meiteis have to start a signature campaign; as for the general category also had conducted the signature campaign during 1952. On the basis of the same Manipur was listed to general caste.

Please don't forget, let us have a step forward by listing Meitei in the scheduled tribe category; let Manipur turn to a hill state. One of the eleventh part of the small Manipur Imphal should not be taken as valley. Notwithstanding to be 1/11th 12×8 miles space covered by Loktak Lake will not be neglected in the figure. Instead of demanding a new state in the small Manipur let us constitute a new society in the name of a Hill State. We are all Tribes, are all being Tribe, shall be Tribe.

Thank you all.