No ground for objection to demand: STDCM
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 14 2022: Maintaining that the demand for inclusion of Meetei-Meitei in the ST list is a legitimate demand for the protection and sustenance of indigenous community, which is facing a threat of becoming refugee in their own motherland, Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur' (STDCM) has said that there is no ground for objection from other communities against the demand raised by Meeties.

On the 20th day of the ongoing series of protest spearheaded by STDCM, members of Pureiromba Ima Seva Lup (women vendors) and STDCM jointly organised a sit-in protest at Pureiromba Ima Keithel, Imphal East on Wednesday.

Speaking at the sit-in, STDCM working president retired colonel Laishram Lo-kendra maintained that the demand for recognition of Meetei-Meitei community as scheduled tribe is a legitimate demand as the community needs a strong constitutional protection to survive.

There is no reason for other communities to raise objection in this regard.

The existing ST communities of the state have constitutional protection while Meeteis do not enjoy such safeguard.

There is no constitutional provision that could protect the community and their land from migrants from other parts of the country under the Article 19(1) (B)&(E) of the Constitution of India.

As such, the community is facing an eminent threat of becoming refugee in their own motherland and more disturbingly the threat of becoming extinct through assimilation.

Getting recognition as ST is the only constitutional safeguard that the community can have and it is unreasonable for the other indigenous communities of the state, who share same bloods and brotherhood with the Meeteis, to raise objection, he said.

Even though the CM had acknowledged the importance of the demand publicly, he is speaking of discussing the matter with other communities of the state, which is very unfortunate.

It is impossible to get a full consensus on any matter as there will always be objection from one or more.

Instead of making such un reasonable statements, the government should act on the merits and demerits of the issue after studying the facts, he said, while urging the government to expedite the process for ensuring a safe and secured future for the community.

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