Sugnu extends support to ST demand
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 04 2023: Boosted by the immense support they received from lawmakers in the recent weeks, the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM) has intensified its demand for enlisting Meitei/Meetei in the ST category.

Today, under the banner of the STDCM, the people of Sugnu along with several civil bodies took out a rally and demanded the Government to include Meitei/Meetei in the list of Scheduled Tribes.

The people, mainly womenfolk holding banners and placards took to the street of Sugnu Keithel and raised slogans urging the State Government to send a recommendation along with socio-economic survey report and ethnographic report to the Centre to include Meitei/Meetei in ST category.

The womenfolk formed a human chain and raised slogans demanding ST status.

Sugnu extends support to ST demand

While asserting that almost all of the Ministers and MLAs have openly supported the STDCM in the recent weeks, the womenfolk however lamented that none of them did not bring up the issue during the Assembly session.

They said that if the Ministers and the MLAs truly believe in the cause of the Meitei/Meetei and are true to what they told the STDCM, they should bring up the issue and discuss it in the Assembly.

During the demonstration, one of the women said, back in 2013, the Central Ministry of Tribal Affairs had written to the State to send a specific recommendation along with the latest socio-economic survey and ethnographic reports for consideration of the demand to include Meitei/Meetei in the Constitution's ST list.

However, the State Government has not yet sent the recommendation sought by the Ministry.

This is 'unfortunate' .

The Government should understand the aspiration of the people and send the recommendation sought at the earliest, she said.

Another leader of a local Meira Paibi group reiterated the same and added that giving ST status to the Meitei/Meetei would help the ethnic community protect themselves, their land and culture.

If the Meitei/Meetei is left to fend for themselves without any Constitutional safeguard and ST tag, the community would become a minority in their own State and possibly face existential crises some decades later.

ST status would help protect and preserve the community's identity, she added.

Sugnu Apunba Lup joint secretary, Aheibam Chan-thoisana said people of Sugnu and the Lup fully endorse the ST demand and they will lend all assistance to the STDCM.

STDCM general secretary K Bhogendrajit and STDCM Kakching District Committee secretary S Bormani took part in the demonstration, among others.