PMC explains ST demand stand to tribal bodies
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 07 2019: The Pan Meetei Convention (PMC) has categorically stated that the question of survival of the Meetei people cannot be equated with the question of losing some advantage of the hill people which seems to be the contention of some hill leaders to the demand for enlistment of Meetei/Meitei in ST category.

It is very unfortunate to learn that some hill based organizations continue to express their opposition to the demand of the Meetei people to enlist themselves in the ST list of the Constitution despite the fact that STDCM which has been spearheading the movement has clarified more than once that the Meetei people do not intend to hurt the interests of the hill people of Manipur in any manner.

A statement issued by PMC reiterated that Meetei people's only aspiration is to protect their only natural habitat from the onslaught of migrants who pose a serious threat to their very existence, specially with the arrival of the railways and opening of the Trans-Asian Highway in one or two years time, and to get a level playing field at the National level where a few lakh Meetei people have to fight against 1.25 billion people.

Hill Leaders representing ATSUM, KSO, ANSAM etc, had a threadbare discussion yesterday as to what they would take up to work out a mechanism for cohesive coexistence of all communities in the context of Meetei's ST demand.

It is reported that they have given responsibility to a committee constituted by ATSUM, PMC noted while welcoming the same initiative.

However the doubts some hill leaders had reportedly expressed that the Meetei people have been trying "to bulldoze their interests without any consideration of the hill people" is totally unfounded, it asserted.

"The facts is, on more than one occasion it had clearly been stated that we would help the hill people to protect their interests and would ask the state Government and the state Legislature to enact proper rules and laws so that the land and job reservations, etc of the hill people are protected, in the event of Meetei being included in the ST list", it said.

"But it is not sensible in any manner/way to equate the question of survival of the Meetei people with the question of losing some advantage of the hill people, which seems to be the contention of some hill leaders", the PMC continued.

PMC believes in understanding through discussion and dialogue, it added.

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