The Schedule Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM) has demanded the government to give Meetei/Meitei ST status before the end of 2023.
The government has been giving false promises that the Meetei/Meitei will be enlisted under Scheduled Tribe (ST) and be given protection, said RK Ongbi Tombisana Devi, co-convenor of STDCM, Bishnupur branch.
Speaking at a protest held by the STDCM at Ningthoukhong Bazar on Friday, Tombisana Devi stated that the Meitei/Meetei should be enlisted as ST so that the community can thrive without depending on others and be given the proper rights and protection that the ST community will receive.
It has been 10 years since the organisation has been appealing to the government for the Meetei/Meitei community to be enlisted as ST but has been getting only given false promises, she said.
“We are not happy because the Indian and Manipur government have been neglecting our agitations. So, we appeal to the state government to send the recommendation for ST to the central government before 2023 ends,” said Tombisana.
The protest was also participated by different organisations of Ningthoukhong, vendors and auto drivers of Ningthoukhong Bazar.
