ST status is purely to save Meetei and other bonafide indigenous communities in the State

Thangjam Ranjit *

Much have been said and done to clear the mindsets of many people, those of the general public, public leaders, pseudo intellectuals, STs, the so called advanced people or Generals, SCs, OBCs, etc. that the demand for ST status by Meetei is purely to save Meetei Community-its land, religions, customs, language, scripts, traditions, etc. on the one hand and to help save other bonafide indigenous communities, who have been living in the State since time immemorial from being engulfed by other people, who are very much in great number than the indigenes on the other.

There is nothing like, sterile, irrational, political, emotional and unacademic in Meetei's demand for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe list under Article 342(1) of the Indian Constitution. These are rhetoric of some pseudo-leaders, pseudo-intellectuals and black sheeps in the society, who have no thoughts on the future and welfare of the people but to gain popularity in public platforms for their selfish interests and ulterior motives. Again, the demand has nothing to do with the communal clashes. Clashes are there between the people of equals and non-equal status all over the world at all times - present and past.

The demand which has been continuing for more than 10 years now is rather too late, considering the myriad problems that Meetei community would face in the next 1 to 2 decades, when Indian Raiways reaches Imphal and Trans Asian Highway passes through Imphal and Moreh in the next 2-3 years.

Ever increasing influx rate in the State by illegal immigrants from the neighbouring countries are also posing a great threat to the very existence of Meetei and other communities, as the land inhabited by Meetei are not scheduled ones like the hills areas of the State and thus can purchase land and settle easily by rich non-indigenous people in large number.

Considering the essentiality of saving the fertile valley, settled by Meetei mostly, which is producing food grains, vegetables, fishes etc. for all the people (STs, SCs, OBCs, and others) living in the State and hence the inclusion of Meetei Tribe in the ST list of the country is very imperative.

Again, Meetei's demand for ST status is to save Meetei Tribe and other Tribes who have been living in this land as Brothers and Sisters of consanguineous relation, that is, those tribes having seven Clans or Salais, from time immemorial to live in harmony, love and understanding. It never aims at bringing disunity, disharmony and disintegration among the original inhabitants living in the State.

Meetei is a tribe because of its being native, original or indigenous people of the State and for duly posessing the five criteria laid down by the Government of India till date. The criteria are (a) Indication of primitive traits (b) Distinctive culture (c) Shyness of contact with the community at large (d) Geographical isolation and (e) Backwardness.

Meeteis are not demanding ST status to grab land and quotas of present STs. The only purpose for the demand is to save Meetei Tribe, its Land, Culture, Language, Tradition etc. from possible extinction due to impending onslaught of outsiders coming from foreign countries mostly from Burma and Bangladesh in near future.

Return of Meetei to its old fold "Tribe" or "Scheduled Tribe" will not entail any stigma of backwardness or primitiveness rather it will catalyze the pride of being Original/Indigenous people of this land called Meitrabak, Kangleipak or Haolaipak and will shine afterwards as progressive people as many of our ST brothers and sisters in Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram etc. have shown.

Let there be no ill feeling and jealousy in the minds of the present STs or non STs in the State when indigenous Meetei community's demand for ST tag receives Constitutional safeguard under article 342 (1), to save its ancestral land and people, and included in the official list of the larger NE indigenous people as last entrant but feel pride happiness and zealousy for unity and prosperity of the largely Mongoloid NE people in particular and the country at large.

We should remember that the "tribal" status to Meetei was there before Manipur merged into Indian Union in 1949 but was dropped unceremoniously when Indian Constitution was born on 26th January, 1950. Again, giving of ST status to Meetei community/Tribe were favoured by many tribal leaders namely, Shri R Suisa, Shri Rishang Keishing, Shri RV Ming-thing, RK Thekho, Shohem Haomei, among others.

The demand is very much related to birth right and Constitutional rights of Meetei tribe. It is the prerogative of the Government of India. Therefore no one should object to ST status for Meetei.