STDCM reminds Govt to intimate Centre
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, July 20 2022: Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) has reminded the government of Manipur to do the needful particularly forwarding of recommendation to the Centre for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei community in the ST list of Indian Constitution without waiting for agitation and understanding the pulse of the people.

While informing that a hectic campaign is on to resume further course of agitation after a long layoff owing to COVID-19 pandemic and assembly election, a statement of STDCM said that the importance of the issue and the need for launching a collective and intense agitation is being discussed with clubs, Meira Paibi groups, voluntary organisations and general public.

During the campaign, scores of people particularly Meetei/Meitei community extended monetary assistance for resuming further course of agitation in a more effective and meaningful way, STDCM said and urged people, clubs, Meira Paibi organisations and CSOs which are interested in saving Meetei/Meitei with a constitutional safeguard particularly inclusion in the ST list to take part in further course of agitation and extend help to the committee.

According to the STDCM statement, the series of agitation launched by the committee for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the ST list of Indian Constitution is almost 10 years.

In response to a representation submitted by the committee regarding the demand, the Government of India directed the state government to forward recommendation for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the ST list with relevant documents on May 29, 2013 .

However, the state government is yet to send the recommendation to the Centre till date.

Accordingly, the committee has been launching a series of agitations since 2013 with exception to the COVID-19 pandemic period and even apprised the Prime Minister, the Union home minister, other relevant authorities and leaders of ruling party to instruct the government of Manipur for taking up necessary steps for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the ST list.

The STDCM statement further said that the demand for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the ST list evoked overwhelming support from the people on Wednesday after the committee explained in detail about rationale for the demand.

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