PPCM bats against ST status demand
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 01 2016:
The Protection and Preservation Committee of Manipur (PPCM) today submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Okram Ibobi urging the State Government not to yield under Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur's (STDCM) pressure to enlist Meetei/Meitei in the ST category.
Speaking to mediapersons after submitting the memorandum at their Wahengbam Leikai office this afternoon, PPCM convenor Dr Y Mani Khuman said that they submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister today in opposition to the STDCM's demand.
Copies of the memorandum have also been despatched to the Raj Bhavan and the Registrar General of India.
To PPCM which comprises 27 civil society organisations, the STDCM's demand revolves around four objectives.
Their assumptions are that inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in ST category would ensure socio-economic development and protection of identity, equality among co-existing communities in terms of economic benefits and social status, protection of territorial integrity of Manipur, declaration of Manipur as a tribal State which would in turn guarantee protection of indigenous peoples from outsiders.
There are two options.
One is, pursuing the same objectives by maintaining the existing status of Meitei/Meetei and secondly, pursuing the four objectives after Meetei/Meitei community is enlisted in ST category.
The pros and cons of both the options need to be examined minutely.
As for PPCM, it is of the firm belief that the existing status of Meitei/Meetei should be maintained.
This can ensure peaceful co-existence among different communities.
STDCM has been trying hard to justify their demand by putting forward some theoretically fabulous points.
They have been working to sway people's emotion and exert political pressure by invoking the issue of quota or reservation system, said PPCM.
However, their propaganda misrepresents Meitei community.
Their objectives are speculative and bereft of scientific approach or methodology, Dr Mani said.
The campaign for ST status would create distrust, conflicts and confusion among different communities of the State.
It would never bring a positive or constructive social condition.
Some hill people have already asked PPCM if the ST status demand for Meitei has not been studied, he conveyed.
On the other hand, STDCM submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister on December 18, 2011 followed by another memorandum to the Prime Minister on February 16, 2013.Earlier, another memorandum pressing the same demand for ST status was submitted to the State Government on November 30, 2011.All the three memoranda were more or less similar in contents.
However, socio-economic survey report and ethnographic report have not been sent to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs with regard to the demand for ST status.
There has also been no correspondence between the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Registrar General of India on the matter.
Moreover, there are many incorrect points in the memoranda put forward by STDCM which also reflected lack of proper research.
Falling for impressive but misleading propaganda will only cause serious regrets in future, Dr Mani said.
As for PPCM, it would never support the demand for ST status, he added.