The ST call for Meiteis : Timing noted
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: December 20, 2021 -

The important question is how successful has the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee, Manipur (STDCM) and the World Meetei Council (WMC) been able to get their point of view across to the State Government.

Equally important is the question, 'How seriously has the State Government taken the demand to send the needed recommendations to the Centre to include the Meeteis/Meiteis in the Scheduled Tribe list of the Constitution of India?'.

These are important questions which should be mulled over by all concerned and the sooner this is acknowledged the better it would be for the people and the land.

Let it also be very clear to all that the point central to the ultimatum laid down by the STDCM is to send the recommendation to the Centre which is different from demanding that the ST status or categorisation be given automatically.

Let the Centre decide that and this is where those against the idea of Meiteis being included in the ST list should come to terms with.

Is laying down ultimatums to the State Government the only way of going about it or should there be a meaningful dialogue first?

Is laying down the deadline of December 27, as spelt out by the STDCM, a tacit acknowledgement that the State Government is not ready to send the recommendation?

If this is the case, then wouldn't it be better for the BJP led Government to spell out why they are reluctant to send the recommendation?

And how successful has the STDCM been in carrying the people along with their stand?

This poser is important for initially the opposition to such a stand had come not only from the All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur but also from some section of the Meitei people.

Has the STDCM and WMC been able to reach out to the dissenting voices and convince them of the rationale of their stand?

Give importance to this question too for the absence of unanimity may just about give the leeway for the State Government to sleep over the demand or for the Centre to sideline it.

For starters why not a debate be encouraged so that either side may get to hear the stand of each other? These are all suggestions which may be entertained.

And yet along with studying the points which have been raised here, it is also understandable why there is the need to mount a degree of pressure on the State Government to do what it seems is fit for the people and the land.

One can also understand the timing of the STDCM and the WMC in raising the ST categorisation demand at this point of time.

Assembly election is just around the corner and perhaps raising such a point now would help the people know where the different political parties stand on the demand being raised.

Or will it be a question of political parties shying away from speaking out its mind given that there could be a big divide spawned by the ST for Meiteis demand?

Difficult to say where the different political parties stand on this point and by extension the intending candidates for the coming Assembly election.

Not likely that any intending candidate would give an answer in black and white when posed with the question of where they stand on the demand that the Meiteis be included in the ST category.

Nevertheless an important and critical point has been raised and this very poser should keep all political parties and all intending candidates on their toes.

Seen along this line, the STDCM and WMC have got their timing right and this should be noted.

One wonders if they can garner enough support to make this demand an important point in the run up to the Assembly election.

The STDCM and WMC have spelt out where they stand.

It would be interesting to see if they can turn this into a sort of a poll call for at least some political parties or intending candidates.

Such an issue has the potential to make the pending Assembly election more colourful and importantly more meaningful.