Govt indifference, STDCM obduracy
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: October 24, 2022 -

AS expected, Social Welfare minister Heikham Dingo abstained from giving any commitment towards realisation of the demand for inclusion of the Meetei/Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe list of the Constitution other than assuring that the matter would be looked into wherever and whenever necessary.

With his ministerial colleagues – Y Khemchand and L Susindro also toeing on the same line when members of STDCM and other CSOs submitted memorandum to them some days back in continuation of the civil bodies’ new line of movement in pursuance of the same demand, it is apparent that minister Dingo too felt hapless from endorsing or validating the demand, which is primarily to seek constitutional safeguard for the indigenous Meeteis from the threat posed to its existence.

For majority of the legislators elected from the valley constituencies, the reason for opting to remain aloof from the issue could be due to vote bank politics as there are substantial numbers of permanent tribal people, voters to be specific, in the valley districts.

As the issue has been lingering for over a decade now amid successive governments evidently opting to play safe fearing imminent backlash from tribal groups in case any ministers or ruling party legislators commented in favour of the demand, STDCM and other like-minded organisations have been sustaining the movement by directly approaching incumbent ministers to air their grievances over indifferent attitude of the government.

There is no doubt that the government is compelled to adopt such wait-and-watch policy for All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur has been making it a point to raise objection to the demand as and when the STDCM-led agitation gains momentum.

For the record, speakers at numerous STDCM-initiated sit-in-protests and media briefings had been negating apprehension of tribal bodies that the realisation of demand could dilute the latter’s reservation benefits.

Nevertheless, tribal groups, ATSUM in particular, have been expressing vehement opposition to the demand thereby apparently forcing successive governments from taking a firm stand on the issue.

For instance, back in October, 2017, the government of Manipur’s special secretary (home) issued a circular addressed to the Manipur State Commission for ST to examine the demand and make appropriate recommendations.

Subsequent to issuance of the circular, the three-member Commission was expected to accelerate all relevant procedures, examine merit of the demand and start consultation process with STDCM as well as those opposed, if any, to the demand for constitutional safeguard of land and identity of the Meetei community, which ironically is the majority community amongst all the ethnic groups settling in Manipur.

After over five years since the circular became public there has been no notable measure initiated thereby testifying that the government is simply wishing that organisations pursuing the demand would get lethargic, demoralised, lose public support and eventually give up the demand.

However, the new mode of agitation adopted by STDCM and other civil bodies is clear evidence that the pro-ST demand organisations are running out of patience as the government remains non-committal from sending the requisite recommendation to the Union government for granting ST status to the Meetei community.

That the government’s indecision has not gone down well with STDCM could be comprehended from the latter’s representatives and functionaries accusing the government authorities of undermining the need for constitutional safeguard of all the indigenous communities, including the Meeteis.

Thus, it is high time that the government either sends the recommendation to New Delhi or simply state that the STDCM’s demand is not feasible, instead of waiting and watching whether or not the issue triggers animosity amongst the indigenous communities.