Civil bodies in Manipur on Tuesday announced the resumption of the movement to include Meitei/Meetei in the Schedule Tribe list and served an ultimatum till January 31 for sending the state’s recommendation to the Centre.
The civil bodies are the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM), World Meitei Council (WMC) and Salai Kanba Lup (SKL).
General secretary of STDCM K Bhogendrajit revealed that despite earlier interruptions due to crises, the committee decided to relaunch the agitation, citing a return to normalcy at some extent in the state.
He shared that before the recent conflict, the committee had submitted memorandums to 34 MLAs, receiving significant support in principle for the inclusion of Meiteis in the ST category. Emphasising the need for action, he urged the MLAs to translate their assurances into tangible support.
The committee appealed to MLAs to persuade Chief Minister N Biren Singh, urging proactive steps before January 31, including the submission of necessary documents for Meitei enlistment.
Highlighting a recent mass miscall campaign with over nine lakh calls supporting Meitei inclusion in the ST list, Bhogendrajit expressed confidence in the community’s unanimous demand.
Chairman of the WMC Heikrujam Nabashyam lamented the state government’s delay in providing essential recommendations such as ethnographic reports and socio-economic status, to the Centre for enlisting Meitei in the ST list.
He underlined the urgency, pointing out a population decline of Meitei in Manipur from 60 per cent in 1991 to 44 per cent in 2011, predicting potential socio-political challenges in the future.
Anticipating the 2026 nationwide delimitation process, Nabashyam warned of a potential reduction in Assembly seats for the Meitei community.
He emphasised that constitutional safeguards through ST status were crucial, citing the Union Ministry’s directive for the state government to submit necessary documents.
While acknowledging initiatives like ILPs, NRC, and border fencing, Nabashyam asserted that these alone wouldn’t address the threat of identity crisis, emphasising the paramount importance of Meitei inclusion in the ST list to safeguard their socio-political future.
