The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM), while commending Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his initiative for the restoration of peace, reiterated that the prevailing crisis in Manipur was a premeditated attack and has nothing to do with the Meetei (Meitei) ST status demand.
A release issued by STDCM publicity secretary N Debeshwor stated that prior to the Union home minister’s visit to Manipur, the minister of state (Home) Nityanand Rai on May 25 visited the state and met with the members of STDCM in the presence of BJP Manipur in-charge Sambit Patra at the CM secretariat, Imphal in which issues regarding the origin of the prevailing crisis and the Meetei/Meitei ST status demand were discussed.
During Amit Shah’s meeting with the CSOs at the CM secretariat on May 30, STDCM briefed the union minister about the origin of the prevailing crisis and discussed the Meetei/Meitei ST Status demand, it continued.
It is quite unfortunate that despite the evidence presented by various bodies, the union minister, before he left Imphal on June 1, stated that the crisis originated from the order by Manipur High Court regarding the Meetei/Meitei ST status demand, it claimed.
“If the crisis erupted due to the Manipur High Court’s order regarding the Meetei/Meitei ST demand, why was there no violence in the ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ held in other hill districts? Why was there violence only in the Kuki dominant regions?” it questioned.
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It alleged that the ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was merely a façade to carry out the premeditated attack by vested interests “which should be as evident by the torching of an open gym in Churachandpur prior to the CM’s visit on the next day, followed by the eruption of violence and total shutdown in the district”.
The crisis is a long-awaited vengeance against the state government’s various measures including the surveys to evict encroachers from the Reserved Forest areas; destruction of poppy cultivations and afforestation; and implementation of NRC to identify illegal migrants etc., it alleged. It also demanded strict actions against the SoO Kuki militants for the restoration of peace in the state.
STDCM also stated that the Meetei/Meitei ST status demand is to safeguard the Meetei/Meitei communities as an indigenous community under the provision of the Indian Constitution. It mentioned that the demand has nothing against other communities, but rather to promote peace and unity among the different communities in the state.
Following the resolution of the consultative meeting on June 21, the STDCM said it will continue with the movement until their demands are met.
