ST status campaign: 3 historic mistakes
Source: The Sangai Express
Thoubal, March 31 2018:
Retired Professor Lairenlatpam Bondas has said that the Meitei/Meetei community has been held back by three major mistakes in history which also resulted in animosity with the people of the hills.
Speaking to media persons as a part of the Coordinating Body on Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee's continuous campaign for seeking feedbacks and opinions of renowned individuals regarding inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the ST list, at his residence at Wangjing bazaar today, retired Professor L Bondas claimed that in the past, the people of Manipur used to settle in the hills.
With the passage of time, some settled in the hills while others shifted to the valley but they were still united by a very strong bond, he claimed.
Bondas explained that the relationship became sour due to three great mistakes in the history of the Meitei/Meetei community.
The conversion to Hindu religion during the time of Maharaj Pamheiba/Garibaniwaj in 1709 and the subsequent brainwashing of the community that the people of the hills are low caste, spread of Christianity in the hills by the British after the Anglo-Manipuri war in 1891 and the categorisation of Meitei in general category and the people of the hills as ST after India got independence in 1947 and Manipur was subsequently merged into India, are the three main reasons for the constant problems between the people of the valley and the hills, he claimed.
Bondas informed that if Meitei/Meetei had been kept in a similar status as all the other communities, most of the current problems would not have existed and the relations between the community and others might have blossomed.
He stressed on the importance of the people to stand united against political or religion based motives to divide the hills and the valley.
He also stressed on the importance of including Meitei/Meetei community in
the ST list.