WMC, MMTU seek House debate on ST issue
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 20 2024: The World Meetei Council (WMC) and the Meitei/Meetei Tribe Union (MMTU) have called for a discussion on the demand to enlist Meetei/Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list of the Indian Constitution during the upcoming State Assembly session which will begin from July 31 and adopt a resolution.

The council, in a statement signed by its secretary general (CEC) Yambem Arun Meetei, said that the State Government only needs to send the socio-economic and ethnography reports of Meetei/Meitei to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Centre will verify whether the ethnic group can be given the ST status.

It said that a large number of womenfolk from Sekmai-jin Khunou in Kakching and local club volunteers took out a torch rally last night with a demand to add Meetei/Meitei in the ST list before the proposed delimitation in 2026 .

WMC, MMTU seek House debate on ST issue

The WMC said that the future of Meetei/Meitei would be uncertain if they are not given the ST status before the 2026 delimitation.

The Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of Meetei/Meitei is just 1.77 per woman, it said and elaborated that any community with a TFR below 2.2 is considered alarming as per demographic experts.

The Council went on to state that non-inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in Manipur in the ST list is also hampering the process to add the same community living in Assam in the ST list.

Accusing Chief Minister N Biren Singh of not paying any attention to the popular demand of Meetei/Meitei, the council said that it was socio-religious and political leaders who opposed the ST demand by Meetei/Meitei in the ST list in the past too.

Stating many small communities were categorised as ST under Article 342 (1) at the time of creating the Union of Indian, the WMC added that the Naga was also given the ST status in 1951 and such Constitutional protection gives them the room to thrive in every field.

The TFR of Naga also stands at 2.3, it added.

On the other hand, the situation of Meetei/Meitei people, despite having a rich legacy and history, has been deteriorating after joining the Union of India as they are not given any Constitutional safeguard in the form of ST, the council said.

It also said that updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and fencing border areas are in the interest of Manipur but it would not necessarily secure the future of Meetei/Meitei, the WMC said and added that only granting ST status can protect the ethnic group.

The council then urged the Chief Minister to send the recommendation at the earliest.

The Meetei (Meitei) Tribe Union (MMTU), on the other hand, has urged the Members of the State Assembly to take a resolution in favour of the Meetei/Meitei's demand for ST status during the monsoon session and send their decision to the Centre.

Addressing the media at Wangkhei Soibam Leikai today, MMTU secretary (administration ) Mutum Churamani said that non-inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the ST list poses a grave threat to the ethnic group.

Apart from becoming a small group, the economy of Meetei/Meitei has also been falling as they don't get any safeguard from the Constitution, he said.

Meetei/Meitei has to be enlisted in the ST list, he added.

Saying that confining Meetei/Meitei to the tiny valley districts of Manipur without any Constitutional safeguard is unjust, Churamani maintained that the ethnic group may disappear if they are not given the ST status and protection under the provisions of the Constitution.