Legitimacy of ST demand highlighted
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 09 2025: The Meitei community's demand for the Scheduled Tribe status that has gained momentum is a legitimate and rightful demand - one that must be recognised, Manipur University Vice Chancellor Professor N Lokendra has asserted.

He said this during an event held at the Department of Law, MU to observe the International Day of World Indigenous Peoples.

The observance event was jointly organised by the Department of Law and the Centre for Human Rights and Duties Education.

Speaking to the gathering, Prof Lokendra said the Meiteis were recognised as a tribe in the censuses conducted during 1931-1941.Even though the community was recognised as a tribe during the period, it was not included as a Scheduled Tribe when India became independent and the Constitution was enforced, Lokdenra said.

Therefore, the demand that has been raised to include the Meitei in the ST list is legitimate-one that must be endorsed and pursued, he added.

He further underscored that the North East including Manipur remained isolated historically and geographically.

The indigenous people of the region, their culture and tradition remained largely uninfluenced by the outside world until very late in the 20th century.

While the indigenous population of the world has declined, there are still indigenous peoples in the Amazon, Himalayan system, Myanmar's Hukong Valley and in Africa who have remained isolated.

Prof Lokendra stated that the indigenous population makes up only about 6 per cent of the global population, and they occupy only 18 percent of the total land.

The International Day of World's Indigenous Peoples is observed by the United Nations with the focus to protect the indigenous people, he added.

Head of Department of Law, Dr Yumnam Premananda said the Scheduled Tribe status that is being demanded will provide the indigenous Meiteis constitutional safeguard and protection.

If the Meiteis are left without any constitutional protection, the indigenous community may one day become extinct, he said.

The population of the indigenous Meiteis is around 15 lakh only and is less than the population in a district of some large Indian States.

Only the inclusion of the Meiteis in the Scheduled tribes' list of the Constitution will save the community.

"It is now or never," he added.

"The August 9, 1982 Geneva Convention of the Wotking Groups of the Indigenous Peoples and International Labour Organisation encouraged that the indigenous people must assert themselves as indigenous people.

It is therefore not wrong for us to assert our rights," Dr Premananda said.

The International Day of World's Indigenous Peoples was observed under the local theme "Constitutional Protection of Indigenous Peoples of Manipur." Zeliangrong United Committee Manipur president Meibon Phaomei and former MHRC Member Ng Nongyai attended the event.

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