Wrong to attribute clash to ST demand : WMC
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 01 2024: The World Meetei Council (WMC) has accused Chief Minister N Biren Singh of wrongfully depicting the direction given by the High Court of Manipur to the State Government to send the recommendations to consider enlistment of Meetei/Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list as the immediate cause of the ethnic conflict besieging the State.

The Chief Minister depicting the movement of the Meetei seeking ST status in a bad light on the floor of the State Assembly was unacceptable, the WMC said in a statement signed by its secretary general (CEC), Yambem Arun Meetei.

The Council further stated that the Chief Minister made the irrelevant statement as response to a query raised during question hour on the melee that broke out when survivors of a relief camp attempted to take out a rally.

The hostility of Chin Kuki people on Meeteis is a part of their strategy to establish Zale'ngam and against the initiatives of the State Government such as the War on Drug campaign and eviction drives, the Council added.

WMC continued that the Chief Minister seemingly sent a wrong message about the popular movement of the Meetei/Meitei while the ethnic group has been urging the Government to grant ST tag to them and the same is very unfortunate.

Saying that the fate of the Meetei/Meitei will become uncertain if they are not given the ST status by 2025 as the proposed delimitation is set to take place in 2026, the Council urged the Government to send the socio- economic and ethnographic reports of Meetei/Meitei to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs as soon as possible.

The Council asked why the Chief Minister is hesitating to send the two reports and the recommendation to grant ST status to the Meetei/Meitei.

Stating that Meeteis seeking Constitutional safeguard doesn't need permission from anyone, WMC asked the Chief Minister to understand the sentiments of the people and do the needful.

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