Moirang joins ST demand
Source: The Sangai Express
Moirang, January 16 2023:
Joining the sustained movement for enlistment of Meitei/Meetei in the Scheduled Tribe category under the Constitution of India, a large number of people today formed a human chain at Moirang Keithel.
The protest demonstration was jointly organised by the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee, Manipur (STDCM), Moirang Kendra Apunba Meira Paibi Ima Lup (MAMPIL) and Kege Moirang Kendra Apunba Lup (KEMKAL).
Speaking to media persons by the sideline of the protest demonstration, KEMKAL president Konjengbam Nando said that the movement aimed at securing the legitimate rights of Meitei/Meetei is now many years old.
He said that Meitei stu-dents/candidates always find themselves in a very disadvantageous position when appearing for competitive examinations for recruitment to different Government jobs on account of their General category status.
Meiteis are the aborigines of the land and they were identified as a tribe in the past but the community was somehow listed in the General category by mistake, Nando said.
Categorically saying that the ongoing movement does not infringe upon the rights of any other community, he said that other communities already listed in ST category may enjoy the res-ervations/quotas entitled to them and Meiteis/Meeteis too should be given their legitimate rights.
The people who took part in today's protest demonstration shouted many slogans like "List Meitei/Meetei in the ST category", "State Government must send a recommendation to the Government of India urgently", "Protect the living space of Meitei/Meetei" etc.
Women vendors of Moirang Keithel also took part in the protest demonstration.