Human chain formed to press for ST status
Source: Chronicle News Service
Bishnupur/Imphal, January 13 2023:
A human chain was formed at Ningthoukhong Bazar, here on Friday by people in support of the demand for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in Scheduled Tribes list of the Indian Constitution.
Speaking to media persons in connection with the protest, Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee, Bishnupur District Branch Naharup Pana co-convener RK Tombishana Devi informed that the protest was held to press the state government send the Ethnography Report and the latest Socio Economy Survey Report to the centre as had been already mentioned in the memorandum submitted to the Union government by STDCM in 2012 oh the issue.
She also mentioned that STDCM has been organising various forms of democratic movements such as staging sit-in protests, forming human chains, holding public meetings, etc., in support of the demand.
They have also met 29 MLAs of Manipur who have endorsed the demand of STDCM.
During the human chain formation, the protestors also shouted slogans asking the government to send the required recommendations, save land of indigenous Meetei, etc.
Women vendors of Kongba Keithel in association with Kongba Development Committee also organised a similar protest at Kongba Keithel under the aegis of STDCM on Friday demanding ST status for Meetei.
Protestors decried the indifferent attitude of the government towards the demand while expressing concern over the survival of the community without any constitutional safeguard.
Terming the demand as a legitimate one and crucial for the survival of the community, the protestors demanded the state government to send the requisite recommendation to the Centre at the earliest.