Govt urged to uphold public sentiment
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, December 31 2021: Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee, Manipur (STDCM) has urged the state government to uphold general sentiment of the people, respect their wishes and reciprocate the democratic approach by forwarding the recommendation for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list of the Indian Constitution to the central government at the earliest.

In a statement released by its publicity secretary Ananda Meetei, STDCM informed that it will halt all protests till January 2 and resume the same from January 3 onwards.

He then urged for concerted efforts and cooperation so as attain the objective of the movement.

The statement continued: "After the imposition of 18-hour total shutdown over the demand from midnight of December 27, the Committee carried out 30-minute protests at the markets of Khwairamband, Singjamei, Tera, Kwakeithel, Khurai Lamlong, Kongba and Wangoo Nongmaikhong (Kakching district), wherein the protestors shouted slogans for saving the indigenous people and the protecting territorial integrity of the state.

Slogans demanding the government to forward the recommendation were also raised.

On December 30, STDCM volunteers tried to storm the CM's Bungalow, during which some of the Committee representatives were allowed to go and submit a memorandum to the CM via an officer.

Appreciating the support extended by local clubs, Meira Paibi associations, volunteer of organisations, coordinating bodies, district level committees and the vendors of the markets; the Committee said that they were informed of a house-to-house election campaign conducted by an intending BJP candidate during the shutdown.

Such acts can only be regarded as blatant display of selfishness and anti-indigenous Meetei sentiment, it conveyed.

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