PM recommends Cabinet decision on ST status
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 16 2013:
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has asked the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur to make the State Cabinet first take a decision in favour of the committee's demand to recognise the Meeteis as Scheduled Tribe before the same demand is studied by the Government of India.
Speaking to media persons at Uripok Laikhurembi community hall today, Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) Chairman Dr Y Mohendro claimed that the indigenous community of Manipur known as Meetei is a Scheduled Tribe and they do not belong to general category.
The Prime Minister listened attentively to the committee's assertion the Meeteis do not belong to Aryan race and he hinted that Meeteis are qualified to be categorised as a Scheduled Tribe.
For inclusion in the list of Scheduled Tribes, the Prime Minister recommended the committee to let the State Cabinet take a decision to this end, Mohendro conveyed.
A six member delegation of STDCM went to Delhi on July 2 and they got an appointment with the Prime Minister on July 10 with the help of MP Dr T Meinya and Laishram Subash based at Delhi.
Mohendro went on to argue that Meeteis fulfil all the criteria of being categorised as a Scheduled Tribe.
The first criteria is, the ethnic group should be Aryan by race.
Second, in case the group follows Hinduism, it should be partial and third, scheduled tribes should be worshippers of nature deities, Mohendro said.
TC Hudson in his The Meeteis published in 1908 wrote that Meeteis are descendents of tribal people settled around Manipur valley.
A report on Forest Department published by the Government of India in 2011 clearly stated that Manipur is a hill State.
As people settled in hilly areas are recognised as tribes, Meeteis too should be enlisted as tribe.
Even as some Meeteis follow Hinduism, all Meeteis practise indigenous Sanamahi faith and worships Pakhangba.
Like other groups already recognised by the Government of India as tribes, Meeteis belong to Mongoloid race.
Meeteis have their own set of customary practices and rituals and they are fundamentally animists.
As such Meeteis are fit for recognition as a tribe.
Religious faith and practices do not matter for a group to be categorised as a Scheduled Tribe.
Before the Merger Agreement of 1949, Meeteis lived as tribe.
It was in 1950 when the President of India categorised the people of Manipur as ST, General, SC and OBC.
Meeteis can recover their history, traditions, culture and customs when they are recognised as a Scheduled Tribe, Mohendro asserted.
The origin of Meetei would always remain vague as long as they are identified within the General category.
Meeteis living as General people for the past 63 years has turned out to be cause of misunderstanding and hatred with the Scheduled Tribes living together in Manipur.
There was no such atmosphere of distrust before 1948 .
All these points were highlighted to the Prime Minister through a memorandum and the Prime Minister was urged to bring Meeteis and other tribes of Manipur under a similar Schedule.
He appealed to the State Cabinet to take a decision in favour of recognising Meeteis as a Scheduled Tribe.
Comment
