STDCM gears up for public convention
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 26 2024: The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee, Manipur (STDCM) has reiterated that a public convention will be held at Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen, Konung Mamang on October 6, 2024 to discuss the next course of action in pursuit of the popular demand for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the ST list.

Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club here today, STDCM Youth Wing convenor Nameirak-pam Edison Meetei said that the people have been demanding inclusion of Meitei/Meetei co- mmunity in the ST list since 12/13 years back but the Govt of Manipur has not yet taken up a single positive step in this regard.

Due to several issues which have been plaguing the State, the campaign for granting ST status to Meitei/Meetei seemed to have lost some of its momentum during the last two/three years.

He said that the public convention scheduled on October 6 will adopt appropriate decisions to carry forward the popular demand of enlisting Meitei/Meetei in the ST category.

Edison appealed to all organisations, Meira Paibi groups and clubs to attend the public convention.

If any one wishes to share detailed suggestions or observations on the movement for granting ST status to Meitei/Meetei, he/she may do through WhatsApp (9436271986, 9862111954, 8413028783, 8731921044 and 7005606920) or email or directly to STDCM for he/she may not get enough time to share all his/her thoughts at the public convention, he said.

He went on to claim that 95 per cent of the Meitei community now support the demand for enlisting the community in the ST category.

Edison said that the demand for granting ST status to the Meitei/Meetei community is a question of survival and protecting the community's ancestral land.

Meitei community deserves ST status as guaranteed by the Constitution of India, he said.

He urged the State Government to send due recommendation along with other necessary documents to the Government of India instead of waiting for the people's movement to turn violent.

The Government of India asked the State Government in 2013 to send a recommendation along with a socio-economic survey report of the Meitei community in connection with the popular demand of enlisting Meitei/Meetei in the ST category, he recalled.

But the State Government has not been responding to the Central Government's intimation till date, he said.

Recalling the words of support and solidarity expressed by both ruling and Opposition MLAs during the house to house campaign undertaken by STDCM earlier, Edison said that the STDCM is deeply hurt by the MLAs' failure to translate their words of support into action.

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