ST demand must be considered in ongoing Assembly session : MMTU
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 04 2024:
The demand for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei community in the Scheduled Tribe list should be discussed in the ongoing State Assembly Session, said Meetei (Meitei) Tribe Union advisor M Manihar Singh today.
In various campaigns launched recently, the demand for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the ST list had garnered massive support of the people, civil society organisations and 34 Members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly.
Given the momentum the campaign has gained and recognition, it is time the demand is considered, if necessary by taking a resolution in the ongoing State Assembly, Manihar said.
Notably, a number of organisations including the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM), Meetei (Meitei) Tribe Union and World Meetei Council had launched many campaigns including visits to residences of MLAs and a miss call campaign seeking support.
While 34 MLAs openly showed their support, the miss call campaign had received a massive support of more than 9 lakh people.
However, despite the immense support, the State Government is yet to send a recommendation sought by the Centre's Ministry of Tribal Affairs in 2013 for considering the ST demand of the Meitei/Meetei community.
The Centre's Tribal Affairs Ministry, 2013 had asked the State Government to send specific recommendations along with the latest socio-economic survey and ethnographic report to the Ministry for its consideration to include Meitei/Meetei community in the ST list.
Significantly, the Meitei/Meetei community in-spite of "bearing all the intrinsic traits of a tribe" is the only indigenous community which has not been given ST status in Manipur.
The Meiteis/Meeteis mainly reside in the middle valley region which is surrounded from all sides by layers of hills, where the Nagas and Kukis who have been given ST status majorly reside.
The valley region accounts for less than 10 percent of the total area of Manipur.
While the Meiteis cannot buy land and reside in the hills, all other communities can buy land and reside in the valley area.
The valley region in the middle, connected by two Highways which traverse through hilly regions, is often cut off during bandhs called in the hills.
Feeling left out without Constitutional safeguards to protect its people and land, the Meiteis have been demanding the ST status for years.
Meanwhile, MMTU advisor M Manihar said the State Assembly should discuss the ST demand and take a resolution to send the recommendations and the data the Centre's Ministry of Tribal Affairs had sought earlier.
The Meiteis/Meeteis as indigenous people must be given Constitutional protection.
It is a legitimate demand which the Centre must consider and the State Govt must send the report, he added.