Sit-in continues for Scheduled Tribe tag to Meetei
Source: Chronicle News Service
Kakching, April 28 2024:
In continuation of movement launched by World Meetei Council (WMC) demanding Scheduled Tribe status for Meetei, a sit-in demonstration was staged at Langmeidong Awang Leikai Meira shed on Sunday.
The sit-in organised by Langmeidong Maning Awang Leikai and Mayai Leikai Meira Paibi Lup also participated by WMC Manipur president Urikkhimbam Kunjo Singh and executive member Mayengbam Gyanendro.
During the sit-in, the participants held placards and chanted slogans such as 'Delaying ST is denying ST'; 'All MLAs say yes for ST, but CM Biren playing politics only for his chair'; 'Will Meetei be killed for not reaching consensus'; 'Send report for ST status for Meetei'; 'ST status only way to protect Meetei', etc.
Meanwhile, a release by WMC Central Executive Committee secretary general Yambem Arun pointed out that Article 342(1) of the Constitution of India, which deals with ST, provides constitutional protection to indigenes that are less in number, socially and economically backward as without such protection they may even go extinct.
WMC observed that though in the past Meetei may have been sovereign and powerful community in South East Asia, but after joining the Indian Union they have become a marginalised community facing danger of annihilation thereby entailing protection under relevant ST provision.
The central government has been very forthcoming to the demand for inclusion of Meetei in ST list and since 2013 has asked multiple times to the state government to forward the Ethnographic Report and Socio Economic Report for Meetei but so far the state government has taken no action in this regard, subsequently constraining the Council to raise the demand to the government, the release emphasised.
WMC further stressed that without the protection under Article 342(1), Meetei will definitely go extinct as they are increasingly becoming powerless with influx of outsiders and with opening of Railway connectivity in state the floodgates might open.
ILP system will not be sufficient enough to address it, hence, the only way to protect Meetei will be inclusion in ST list, it mentioned.
Stressing that ST demand is more important than NRC, ILPS and boundary fencing, WMC demanded that chief minister N Biren send the required reports to the centre and save Meetei community.