Political parties must decide on ST issue : WMC
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 13 2026: The World Meetei Council (WMC) has categorically stated that all political parties must take political decisions before the 13th Manipur Legislative Assembly elections on the demand of enlisting Meitei/Meetei community in the Scheduled Tribe list.

Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club here today, WMC Manipur Unit president U Kunjo asserted that political parties which could not take a concrete decision on the issue of ST demand or whose positions are not clear should be boycotted socially instead of voting for them.

Even though Manipur has been facing several man-made issues and is passing through a restive situation, it would not be right to sideline the issue of enlisting Meetei in the ST category, he said.

He alleged that the Kuki aggression is a machination of the Government of India.

Had the State Government clamped curfew and sent additional forces to Churachandpur on May 3, 2023, the day Kukis launched their aggression, the violence could have been contained on the same day, Kunjo said.

The WMC Manipur Unit president said that enlisting the Meetei community in the ST category is imperative in order to bring lasting peace and harmony in Manipur.

He warned that there are strong possibilities of rich outsiders buying over the small valley portion of Manipur and the whole Meitei community may vanish if the community is not enlisted in the ST category without any further delay.

The only way to avoid such a grim situation is ensuring the inclusion of the Meiteis in the ST list, he asserted.

Even if CSOs, Meira Paibis and local clubs have been tackling several issues from time to time, the issue of inserting the Meiteis in the ST list must not be sidelined, he said.

Asserting that all political parties must take concrete a decision on the ST issue before the next State Assembly elections, the WMC Manipur Unit president appealed to all sections of people to boycott those political parties which cannot take a decision on the issue, rather than voting for them.

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