STDCM's bid to march to Assembly foiled
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 01 2023:
Another attempt of the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) to march towards Manipur Legislative Assembly was foiled by police again, today.
Today, volunteers of STDCM, folks of Kakwa Keithel and several other people assembled near Narsingh Mandir at Kakwa and chanted slogans demanding addition of Meetei/Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list of the Constitution and to take a concrete stand to send the report sought by the Centre to verify whether Meetei/Meitei can be given ST status during the Assembly session.
Notably, STDCM has been urging the Government to forward the report since the past many years but no confirmation has been given by the Government on sending the reports other than some MLAs whom the STDCM met endorsing the demand personally.
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After assembling near the Narsingh Mandir, the demonstrators tried to head towards the Manipur Legislative Assembly but their endeavour was cut short by the police as the rally was blocked at Kakwa Keithel.
Speaking to media persons, STDCM president Laishram Lokendra said that they were only trying to highlight the sentiment of the Meetei/Meitei populace to all the representatives so that they could discuss the threat being faced by the ethnic group during the Assembly session which will end tomorrow.
One of the women who took part in the rally said that the movement spearheaded by STDCM is for the wellbeing of the future generations and to protect Meetei/Meitei.
The STDCM tried to storm towards the Manipur Legislative Assembly yesterday too from Lamlong Keithel but they were dispersed by the police when the rally reached Lamlong Higher Secondary School.