SDTCM petitions minister Govindas, MLA Joykisan
WMC sets year-end deadline to send recommendation
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, November 06 2022:
Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM) submitted memorandum to works minister Govindas Konthoujam and Thangmeiband MLA Kh Joykisan, sought their stand on the demand of ST status for Meetei-Meitei and urged them to take up necessary initiatives for ensuring early submission of the requisite recommendation by the state government to the Centre.
The STDCM members went to the houses of the two elected representatives at Ningthoukhong and Thangmeiband, and submitted the memorandum in person.
Acknowledging the memorandum, works minister Govindas said that the demand for ST status is a legitimate demand for every member of the community and there will be no impact on any other community by this demand.
Instead of raising objection, all the people of the state should support the demand, he said.
Govindas also appealed to the people of all indigenous communities in the state to have their trust on the chief minister stating that the CM is a visionary leader, who is working for the common welfare of all the communities of the state.
MLA Joykisan said that he has been vocal in support of the demand whether it is in public places or on the floor of the state assembly.
Getting the ST status is the only constitutional safeguard for the survival of the Meetei-Meitei community, he said, while assuring every possible support from his side in making the demand into a reality.
On the other-hand, World Meetei Council (WMC) chairman H Nabashyam has urged the state government to forward recommendation for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the ST list to the Central government within this year.
Addressing a press conference organised jointly by Kangleipak Kanba Lup, Salai Taret and WMC at Manipur Press Club here on Sunday, H Nabashyam pointed out that Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM) has been launching a democratic movement for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the ST list for a long time.
While opining that the government has been unjustifiably ignoring the demand, he suggested that instead of giving mere lip service and claiming that they have been working on the issue, the government should send the recommendation by submitting ethnography and socio-economic report to the central government.
Nabashyam also recalled that a report endorsed by vice chancellors of two universities of the state was submitted to the chief minister on April 28 and further maintained that the report was reasonable.
While asserting that there is no way to protect Meetei/Meitei community other than inclusion in the ST list of the Indian Constitution, he reiterated the demand for sending the recommendation within this year.
If CM N Biren wants to complete the report then they can extend all possible help, he added.