STDCM submits affidavit to violence probe panel
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, December 29 2023:
Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) has submitted a statement of affidavit to the Commission of Inquiry (Manipur Violence) 2023 in order to make it clear that the ethnic crisis the state has been witnessing has no relevance with the Scheduled Tribe demand for Meetei/Meitei community.
Interacting with the media after submitting the affidavit, STDCM president Yumnam Dhiraj said that after the violence broke out of May 3, union home minister Amit Shah as well as national media often referred to an order of the High Court of Manipur over the ST demand as the cause for the violence.
It is unfortunate that the narrative is being expounded as the true reason behind the violence and it would be a detrimental in the movement for ST status.
As it would be wrong to draw a conclusion on this particular matter, as the factor behind the crisis, the committee felt it prudent to present a detailed report to clear the misunderstandings and myths so that the inquiry commission could come up with a finding based on truth and facts but not on concocted tales, he said.
After studying the SC rulings and expert opinions, the committee is of the view that non-indigenous communities should not be granted ST status, he said while stressing the need for reviewing the current ST list.