WMC bats for ST status
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 03 2021:
The World Meetei Convention Hojai Zonal Committee along with leading Meetei Civil Society Organisations in Assam organised a public meeting yesterday to deliberate on the importance of inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list of the Indian Constitution at AMSP Bhawan, Hojai.
The members present acknowledged that ST status to Meetei/Meitei community is long overdue and very much required to protect the culture, tradition and ethnic identity of the community which is residing in parts of India.
The meeting also noted that the Meetei/Meitei community shall not be able to demand the same in other States such as Assam and Tripura where they have been living for centuries unless it is recognized in Manipur, said the World Meetei Convention, Assam unit in a press release.
The leaders of the Meetei Civil Society Organizations present in the meeting also have placed their ardent and sincere request to Chief Minister N Biren Singh to send the recommendation for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list of the Indian Constitution at the earliest, the release said.
President of United Manipuri Association of Assam (UMAA), Laishom Sarat in his speech mentioned that the ST demand for Meetei/Meitei in Assam has already been initiated by the organization since 1995 .
He further emphasized that the inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe list in Manipur is critically required to add teeth to demand of ST status for the community living in Assam.