False propaganda by non-indigenous group: WMC
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 24 2023: While urging the Centre and the State Government to expedite the process to include Meetei in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list of the Constitution, the World Meetei Council (WMC) has conveyed its aspiration to hold a dialogue with the groups opposing the demand.

In a press release issued by its secretary general (CEC) Arun Meetei, the Council said that some people from among the non indigenous people in Manipur have been planning to block the 'genuine' demand of the Meeteis to enlist them in the ST list by spreading false propaganda.

WMC also claimed that Meeteis who from the historical position of being the big brother have been bearing the brunt of the misdeeds committed by the Meetei leaders only.

Saying that Meeteis are now confined to less than 6 per cent of the total land area of Manipur, the Council claimed that there is a fundamental change in the demography of Manipur due to the unchecked influx of illegal immigrants from across the international border especially from Myanmar side.

"Till 1971 there was social-political equilibrium among the communities," WMC opined.

Claiming further that the illegal immigrants have now merged with the local populace having matching ethnicity, WMC maintained that such merger has an unhealthy effect on the social-political atmosphere of the State.

"Several student organisations and others have been urging the Government to implement National Register of Citizens in Manipur to save the indigenous folks and as the migrant community has been planning 40 carve out a homeland of theirs from this tiny State," WMC alleged.

This group of people is planting a theory that the Meeteis would grab their land if the ethnic group is given ST tag only to dominate the hill districts, WMC claimed and added that Meeteis, however, would not live in the hills even if they are given the land free of cost.

"They have put up theories such as Meeteis would seize all advantages of the Nagas and Kuki-Chin people provided by the provision of ST as if the indigenous Nagas are fools," WMC reasoned.

WMC went on to state that migrants and their descendents cannot be ST according to the law of the land, adding that the Government is yet to amend the Constitution accordingly.

The Council further claimed that the Israeli Government had accepted them as Jewish people and accordingly migration had started to Israel from Manipur of which records are available with the Government.

Unlike this migrant population, the mythology and historical experiences of Meeteis and Nagas are confined in the region, WMC continued.

WMC said that they would welcome any gesture from any group to sit across the table in any venue be it at Amity Hall, Adimjati Complex or any other venues and hold a dialogue on the demand to add Meeteis in the ST list.

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