Rally planned to demand ST status
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 17 2016:
Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur is set to stage a mass rally to press the demand for inclusion of Meiteis/Meeteis in the ST list of the country under Article 342 (1) of the Constitution.
This was announced by committee coordinator S Robindro while speaking at a discussion session held at Sagolband Tera Sapam Leirak today.
The discussion session was jointly organised by Juvenile Club and Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur.
S Robindro said that the committee has been spearheading the movement since 2011.In this regard, he said, different campaigns have been organised at Thoubal, Kakching, Wabagai, Imphal East and Imphal West under the supervision of committee president Prof Y Mohindro and general secretary Lt Col (Retd) L Lokendro.
He said that the vision of the committee is to bring social equality, development, peace and harmony in the State by undoing the classification of hill-tribals and valley non-tribals.
Saying that only 8 per cent of the total area of the State is valley while remaining 92 per cent is hill, S Robindro said that there is need for a Constitutional provision which prohibits permanent settlement of non-locals in valley areas as well.
As such, it is the responsibility of every Meetei/Meitei residing in the valley area to collectively seek this Constitutional safeguard from the Government.
The Government can protect Meetei/Meitei indigenous people by including them in the ST list of the country, he said.
Robindro observed that giving ST status to the Meiteis/Meeteis would also sustain harmony among the people of hill and valley in the long run.