Protest for ST status continues unabated
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 23 2022:
The protest being spearheaded by Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM) in pursuance of the demand for granting ST status to Meetei-Meitei community continues unabated.
On Friday, STDCM in association with Lamlai Keithel Nupi Lup organised a sit-in protest at Lamlai Keithel during which one of the women vendors demanded the government to clearly declare its stand over the issue.
While stating that in-spite of being majority in numbers in the state the Meetei community is staring at the uncertain future, the protestors demanded the government to submit the necessary recommendation to the Centre at the earliest.
STDCM in collaboration with Soibam Leikai Awang Meira Paibi Chaokhat Thourang Lup, Imphal East also staged a sit-in protest at Soibam Leikai Wangkhei Khunou on Thursday, demanding inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list as constitutional safeguard.
Speaking on the sidelines, STDCM Youth Wing convenor Nameirakpam Edision remarked that the government's continued ignorance of the democratic protest in the state is disrespecting democracy.
This only indicates that the government wants the protest to become violent.
Thus, the protests will intensify from October onwards since this is what the government prefers, he cautioned.
During the sit-in, the protestors shouted slogans and held placards inscribed with slogans like 'Recommend Meitei/Meetei for inclusion in ST List', 'No ST status, No rail line', 'Include Meetei/Meitei in ST List', 'Save indigenous Meetei-Meitei community', etc.