MIYC gives more push to ST for Meiteis demand
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 28 2023: While sharing the multiple issues which threaten the very existence of Meetei/Meitei, the Manipur International Youth Centre (MIYC) has opined that the Meeteis/Meiteis need to stick together and face the aggression of Kuki-Zo people and at the same time take forward the movement to add the ethnic group in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list.

MIYC, in a statement, asked why the Manipur Government is still not sending the ethnographic and socio-economic reports of Meetei/Meitei to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, National Commission for Scheduled Tribe and Registrar General of India for enlistment of the ethnic group in the ST list.

Further asking whether the Centre and the State Government have been creating problems from time to time to divert the ST demand of Meetei/Meitei or if there is an instruction from the Centre that has prevented the State to not send the reports, the Youth Centre said that Meetei /Meitei would already be in the ST list if the Governments sincerely wants to secure the future of the ethnic group.

It is embarrassing that the people had to go to the Law Court for the State Government to intervene in the matter of ST demand for Meetei/Meitei, the Youth Centre added.

Continuing that the Meetei/Meetei whose population is only about 14 lakh will surely disappear if the Government continues to sideline the ST demand of the ethnic group, the Youth Centre maintained that the successive Governments failed to take the opportunity to add Meetei/Meitei in the ST list in 1951,1981, 2013, 2019 and 2022 .

It further said that the meagre 14 lakh population of Meetei/Meitei is nothing compared to the 140 plus crore population of India.

Claiming that the successive Governments have been finding excuses to not send the recommendations to add Meetei/Meitei in the ST list, the Youth Centre said that people at power can add the non-indigenous Kuki-Zo to the ST list and lift the Manipur Liquor Prohibition Act but ignore the genuine demand of the Meetei/Meitei.

The contemporary Meetei/Meitei society is now confronted by several issues, some chronic, MIYC maintained and added that even Kuki-Zo people from Myanmar who intruded in the State can now challenge the indigenous Meetei/Meitei.

The Inner Line Permit System (ILPS) implemented to safeguard the indigenous people of Manipur have become meaningless and act like only a piece of paper given to those from outside the State who want to enter Manipur, the Youth Centre said and claimed that over 4,20,000 people have taken ILP passes but there is no report on how many of them have taken the exit routes.

A sea of people will come to Manipur after the implementation of Railways project, Act East Policy and Kaladan Project and control the land, politics and economy of the State, MIYC cautioned and added that the only means to protect and secure the future of Meetei/Meitei is enlistment in the ST list.

The Meetei/Meitei will surely disappear if the ethnic group doesn't get the ST status, it said.

To take forward the ST movement is equally important as facing the aggression of Kuki-Zo people to the Meetei/Meitei, the Youth Centre maintained.

Seeking support from the Scheduled Caste and the indigenous hill tribes in carrying forward the movement (ST demand for Meetei/Meitei), MIYC continued that there will be a sense of unity among the indigenous people of Manipur if the Meetei/Meitei gets the ST status.

Granting ST status to the Meetei/Meitei will not hurt the interest of other communities, the Youth Centre assured.

Claiming that about nine lakh people including bureaucrats, police personnel, doctors, engineers and common folks want addition of Meetei/Meitei in the ST list, the Youth Centre sought support from everyone to intensify the movement and make sure the Meetei/Meitei community gets the ST status.

Comment