Continuing the demand for enlisting the Meetei community in the ST list, members of Social Reformers’ Club (SRC) and local womenfolk under the aegis of the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM) staged a demonstration at Khurai Lamlong Bazar in Imphal East.
The demonstration began with a sit-in protest at Khurai Puthiba Leikai followed by a democratic rally along the stretch of Imphal-Ukhrul road shouting slogans such as, “Sent recommendation to Centre;” and “Enlist Meetei-Meitei in the ST list,” among others.
Related: ‘Giving ST status only way to protect Meetei community’
Speaking to the media, SRC executive committee member Mongjam Hemanta reiterated the various reasons for the need of enlisting Meetei in the ST list besides to safeguard its socio-economic status and its endangered population.
He said, despite being an indigenous community, the Meetei brethren are allowed to inhabit only in the valley region which consists of only nine per cent of the total area of Manipur.
On top of it, the external influences of outsiders, which has been flowing in the valley area on large scale, is posing a grave threat to the overall status of the Meetei community, he said, adding that the demand for ST is the only hope to safeguard the Meetei population.
Also Read: Demand for ST wobbles Lamlong Bazar as womenfolk demonstrate on street
Informing that the Centre has given a positive note to the state government to send the recommendation for consideration, he questioned the reason behind the state government’s delay in sending the recommendation.
Meanwhile, the Meetei-Pangal Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee (MPSTDC) thronged the official residence of MPCC president and MLA K Meghachandra at Babupara in Imphal West and submitted a memorandum seeking support of the former in the demand to enlist Meetei-Pangal in ST list.
According to the MPSTDC, the MLA assured to lend full support to the demand and expressed the need of declaring the whole state of Manipur as a hill state.
