Imphal, July 04 2009: The all Manipur Other Backward Classes Welfares Association (AMOBCWA), HQ Uripok Panchai Maning, Imphal has objected to the inclusion of five Nepali communities settled in Manipur in the list of OBCs under the Government of Manipur.

Loukham Nutankumar Meetei of Sagolband Kangabam Leikai in Imphal West district, who is the General Secretary of AMOBCWA, has submitted a sworn affidavit to the Member Secretary, M A Sattar, Manipur State Commission for Other Backward Classes, Imphal on June 30 last objecting to the Commission's plan of including five Nepali communities living in Manipur.

It may be recalled here that M A Sattar, Member Secretary, Manipur State Commission for Other Backward Classes, Manipur had issued a notice on May 12 last informing the public that under Notification No.17/86/93-TD(Pt) dated 5/9/1994, Government of Manipur, only five classes of Nepalis namely, Badi, Damai, Gainey, Satki and Kamai who have been living in Manipur as members of domiciled comunities since 9th July, 1947, and their descendents are listed as Other Backward Classes (OBC) along with Meities/Meeties, Meitei-Pangals and Telis.

The notice which was published in some newspapers published in Imphal had informed that the General Secretary of Manipur Gorkha Union, Kanglatongbi had submitted a representation to the Commission requesting that the "Nepali Community" may be included as one unit in the list of OBCs in place of the five castes/classes of Nepalis mentioned above on the ground that Nepalis as a whole are socially, educationaly and economically backward.

According to the notice, the Commission had invited comments/opinions of the general public, private individuals, Associations/Organisations either in support of the request of the Manipur Gorkha Union or objecting to it or on any other matter relevant in this regard.

The same may be submitted in writing with supportive documents, if any to the Member Secretary by June 30 last.

Responding to the notice, L Nutankumar Meetei had submitted the sworn affidavit to the Member Secretary on June 30 .

He had pointed out in his affidavit that so far Badi, Satki, Damai, Gainey and Kamai�all Nepali castes/classes, who have been living in Manipur as members of domiciled community since July 9, 1947 and their decedants were only recognised as well as listed as members of OBCs as per first term of reference of the Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of (Late) Justice Y Ibotombi Singh.

Since then, no such an Expert Committee had been constituted by the Government for further identification of the Nepali Comminity domiciled in Manipur to o be included in the category of OBCs, Nutankumar pointed out in his affidavit.

He further argued that there are inhabitants of so many Nepali communities like Sharma, Karki, Gurung, Limbu, Chhetri, Rai, Tamang, etc.

who have been living since 1947 and they are quite advanced in the field of education and their socio-economic conditions are well-developed.

Therefore, mere submission of a representation to the State Commission by the Gorkha Union for inclusion of Nepalis as a whole as one unit in the list of OBCs is not sufficient, good and reasonable ground at all without constituting an Expert Committee for further identification of the same.

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