Seminar calls for more teeth to ST demand
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 14 2022: A one day seminar on "The Present Status of Meetei/Meitei" has deliberated on the need to intensify the movement demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) tag for the ethnic group, saying that the present movement largely focuses on just spreading awareness.

The seminar was organised by Manipur University Students' Union (MUSU) at the Court Hall of the varsity.

Addressing the gatherings as chief guest, Professor K Yugindro of School of Mathematical and Physical Science of Manipur University said that launching a blog or a website would be helpful in consulting and taking opinions from the masses on the need to enlist Meetei/Meitei in the ST list of the Constitution.

Saying that four Bills have already been introduced to amend the ST lists of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Chattisgarh, he continued that the Manipur Government must also forward the special recommendations and other documents sought by the Centre to ascertain the social position of Meetei/Meitei and provide Constitutional safeguard to the ethnic group.

Yugindro also said that the Indian Constitution has many provisions to safeguard the rights and the land of the communities in the ST list.

Further stating that the Meeteis/Meiteis, however, are staring at uncertain future as the group are allowed to settle only in the valley areas with no Constitutional safeguard whatsoever, the Professor maintained that the ethnic group might even disappear once Manipur fully becomes a part of the rail networks of India if the Government doesn't take the matter with utmost urgency and seriousness.

The Professor maintained that the Meetei/Meitei possess all the traits of being a tribe in the past.

Claiming that the Meetei/Meitei is classified as a constituent member of Kuki Chin tribes in the Census of India of 1901 published by corresponding member of Berlin Anthropological Society HH Risley and a fellow of Royal Statistical Society EA Gait, Yugindro maintained that the population of Meetei/Meitei in the Census report was 2,72,907 .

He also said that tribal traits posses by the Meetei/Meitei are clearly mentioned in many books such as 'Journey of Asiatic Society of Bengal', 'Statistical Account on the Native State of Manipur and the Hilly territories under its Rule" and "The Meitheis' written during the British rule.

Saying that the Meetei/Meitei, unfortunately, were not incorporated in the ST list compiled according to the provision of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Amendment) Act, 1956, he claimed that the reason for not recognising the ethnic group is closely associated with the influence of Vaishnavism.

Though the Meeteis/Meiteis of th period considered themselves to be Aryans, the British denied it, he claimed and added that the ethnic group is now expose to many threats with little to no Constitutional safeguard due to the decision taken by the influential Meeteis/Meiteis of the past.

There is a room to classify the valley portion of the State as a scheduled area if the Meetei/Meitei is recognised as ST, he said and urged the State Government to send the ethnography and latest socioeconomic survey report of the Meetei/Meitei to the Centre.

MUSU president Sasnsam Steven Singh was the president of the seminar.

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