STDCM carries on with sit-ins
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 23 2021:
The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee (STDCM) continued its series of sit-in protest demonstrations demanding Scheduled Tribe status for Meetei/Meitei community at Lamphel Sana Keithel near BRTF Gate today.
At the sit-in protest, STDCM vice president, Retired Colonel L Lokendra expressed dissatisfaction with the Government for not doing the needful to send the required recommendation to the Centre to include Meetei/Meitei community in the ST list.
Stating that the community need Constitutional protection like other ST communities in the State, he said the Government shouldn't delay and send the recommendation sought by the Centre at the earliest.
As asked by the Centre earlier, the State Government should send the 'ethnographic report of the Meeteis/Meiteis' and the latest socio economic report' along with the recommendation to include the Meeteis/Meiteis in the ST list.
He further asserted that even though the Constitution is providing many rights to its citizens, the same rights are not fully enjoyed by the people until they are sought.
Meeteis/Meiteis are the indigenous people of the State and as they should enjoy the same rights as other indigenous communities are enjoying.
Including the community in the ST list will ensure a peaceful and safe future for the generations to come, he added.
Others who spoke on the sideline of the sit-in protest reiterated that the demand for the ST tag is not directed against other communities, but a legitimate demand to protect the community, their land and interests.
If given the ST tag, there would be lasting peace, and it would also ensure equal opportunity to all communities in the State, they said.
It may be noted that the STDCM had launched the fresh stir from March 20 demanding Chief Minister N Biren Singh-led Government to send the required recommendation to the Government of India to include Meetei/Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe list of the Constitution.
The STDCM, clubs and many other civil society organisations and Meira Paibis had recently condemned the State for not taking up steps to send the recommendation.
Even though Chief Minister N Biren Singh had acknowledged that the Meetei/Meitei community needs some sort of protection, he had recently stated that the State Government had not taken up any step to send the recommendation to the Centre.
His admission on the Assembly floor during the Budget Session had drawn flaks from different sections of the society particularly the STDCM.
Meanwhile, the series of agitations launched by the STDCM is likely to stay until the Government assures of sending the recommendation to the Centre.