Dr Nara endorses campaign for ST status
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 28 2018: Observing that involvement of public and holding discussions on any social issue is crucial to take the issue to a logical conclusion, veteran politician and CPI leader Dr M Nara has today endorsed the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee's ongoing campaign of seeking opinions from eminent personalities and experts in the State regarding enlistment of Meiteis/Meeteis under ST list.

Speaking to media persons at his residence at Singjamei Thongam Leikai and sharing his opinion on the ongoing campaign of the STDCM, Dr Nara opined that the Government should also discuss the STDCM's demand for enlistment of Meiteis/Meeteis under ST category, adding that the Government has to decide the issue by taking public opinions and views.

Noting that all people and communities in the world were tribes at one point of time as the evolutionary stages of human beings passed through the stage of tribalism, he said that a stage of de-tribalisation emerged in the human societies.

He observed that there is nothing wrong in STDCM demanding to enlist Meiteis/Meeteis under ST category as everyone can make his/her demands in a democracy.

Dr Nara endorses campaign for ST status

Maintaining that even the smallest community in the world preserves its own culture and other values, Nara underscored the importance of preserving one's own culture and identity while stating that a community should not feel ashamed of true identity.

He also opined that there will be equality among the hills and valley people if there is equal status among them and it would result in uniform development in the State.

Pointing out that the land portions in the State remains the same while the population of the State, particularly in the valley, has been rising rapidly, the CPI leader said there is also the need of considering the demographic imbalance in the State.

Observing that the society keeps on changing and differences among people continue to prevail, he asserted that scientific reasoning and logical conclusion are always necessary to sort out the differences and to take the society towards development.

Saying that politics has a pivotal role in sorting out every social matter/issue, Dr Nara observed that the Government has to ultimately decide and come to a logical conclusion after considering public opinion regarding the demand of enlisting Meiteis/Meeteis in the ST category.

Many leaders and members of STDCM were also present at today's opinion seeking episode.