Committee bemoans HC directive
Source: Chronicle News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, April 28 2023:
Joint Coordination Committee on Tribal Rights, Manipur (JCCOTR-M) said on Thursday that it was shocked to learn the "irrational ruling" of the High Court of Manipur dated April 19 on Meitei/Meetei Scheduled Tribe (ST) demand.
In a statement, the Committee said that the "ruling is a unilateral judgement" of the HC, wherein, opinions and views of the "opposing parties" were not sought and heard of JCCPTR-M continued that the Meitei/Meetei society has a Hindu caste structure, with Scheduled Caste, OBC, 'Kshatriyas' and 'Brahmans' .
"The Meitei/Meetei community has long been 'Sanskritised' into a complex Hindu caste society.
The Meitei/Meetei society and its culture is a 3000 years old civilisation that evolved and took form in the Imphal valley.
The Meitei/Meetei culture is highly developed and is of fine intricacy.
The Meitei/Meetei classical dances are universally acclaimed.
Their scripts and language are recognised and well protected in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India.
Economically and politically, they dominate the state of Manipur.
Hence, one cannot conceive of any reason as to why the High Court took such a drastic ruling in a hasty manner," JCCOTR-M contented.
The Committee mentioned that the direction of the HC to the Government of Manipur to recommend for the inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the ST list of the state/India is not acceptable to the JCCOTR-M" .
The tribal committee further said that the demand for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei community in the ST list on the ground for protection and safeguard of the Meitei/Meetei community from being marginalised or extinction has no logic at all.
JCCOTR-M pointed out that the "majority community" of the state who are already identified as "SC, OBC and General" and also well protected by the constitutional provisions such as ILP System, the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution and political dominance in the state leg islative assembly is "totally against all legal and constitutional relevance and is therefore construed as an act of sheer jealousy and greed instinct" .