ST status imperative to protect Manipur: Loken
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 11 2022:
There is no let up in the movement being spearheaded by the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee, Manipur (STDCM) despite strong opposition by a handful of tribal organisations as the committee apprised another MLA of their demand for enlisting Meetei/Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list of the Indian Constitution and put forth his position on the matter.
Today, volunteers of STDCM and other like minded organisations called on Wangoi Constituency MLA Khuraijam Loken at his residence at Yumnam Huidrom and submitted a memorandum to support the movement demanding enlistment of the Meetei/Meitei in the ST list.
Thereafter, the MLA endorsed the movement.
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The volunteers of STDCM also held a discussion with the MLA on the inconveniences and threats being faced by the Meetei/Meitei .
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Kh Loken said that a sense of unity will emerge among the people of Manipur once all the indigenous groups receive equal opportunity.
Saying that outsiders in great numbers will arrive in Manipur once the State becomes a part of the railway networks of India, he added that inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the ST list is imperative to protect the identity of Manipur.
In a memorandum submitted to the MLA, the STDCM highlighted that the Meetei/Meitei will become a minority in its own land and live like refugees if the Centre doesn't give a Consti- tutional safeguard to the ethnic group to protect its identity and the land they belong to.
The Centre had in 2013 sent a letter to the State Govt to forward a recommendation along with the ethno- graphy and socio-economic reports of the Meitei/Meetei so that they could examine whether the ethnic group can be added in the ST list.
The State Government, however, is not sending the documents sought by the Centre till date, they said and urged Kh Loken to consult with his colleagues and persuade the Govt to send the documents.