STDCM reminds Govt on Centre's missive
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 30 2021: Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM) general secretary Keithellakpam Bhogendrajit informed that the Central government has sent another reminder to the government of Manipur for submitting necessary documents and the recommendation for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.

Addressing a press meet held at Ima Khunthokhanbi Shanglen, Thangmeiband on Sunday, Bhogendrajit recalled that on December 27, 2020, a memorandum was submitted to Union home minister Amit Shah through the state's chief secretary during the former's brief visit to the state.

The memorandum urged for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the ST list among others.

On August 26 this year, a letter was sent by the central government to the chief secretary via speed post, reminding the state government to do the needful on the matter with a copy of the same forwarded to the STDCM president the same day, specifying the month of despatch as July, 2021.However, the exact date of receipt of the letter remains unknown as its confirmation was not possible owing to the ongoing cease work strike of government employees.

"The content of the letter basically mirrored the central government's instruction to the state government on May 29, 2016 for submitting necessary documents and making the recommendation for inclusion go Meite/Meetei in the ST list," he conveyed.

Bhogendrajit then said that although STDCM had been exerting pressure on the state government to make the recommendation through staging of protests among other forms of agitation, the government continues to remain adamant.

As such, he urged the state government to abandon the delaying tactics but do the needful to save the Meitei/Meetei community from being usurped by the non-indigenes.

While observing that experts participating in the discussion programmes of TV Channels often'portray the demand tor inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in ST list as a greed for quota/reservation movement, the general secretary contended that the truth of the matter is the demand for constitutional safeguard for an indigenous community of the state, namely Meitei/Meetei.

"Many of the indigenous lands, which are being slowly taken over by outsiders, could be saved with the constitutional safeguard.

Additionally, if a parliamentary/constituency predominantly inhabited by indigenes is covered by the ST list, the constituency would be reserved and no outsiders can contest from the same, thereby avoiding the situation in Jiribam wherein outsiders can easily contest and win elections.

Furthermore, inclusion in the ST list will help in preservation of the identity, language and future of the community", he reasoned.

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