A sit-in protest was held at Nongmeibung Nambam Chuthek on Sunday, demanding the government to send recommendation for inclusion of Meitei/ Meetei community in scheduled tribe list before the imposition of election code of conduct.
The protest was jointly organised by Eastern Students' Club and Nongmeibung Women's Development Meira Paibi Association, Nongmeibung, Imphal East in collaboration with Schedule Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM).
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the protest, STDCM general secretary K Bhogendrajit said that since the term of the previous government, the committee has been demanding for the inclusion of Meitei/ Meetei in the scheduled tribe list.
The committee does not want to give any kind of hassle in connection with the demand and therefore, it has been conducting only peaceful forms of democratic movement. However, the state government maintaining silence till date has provoked them to intensify the movement in an undemocratic manner, he added.
He further said the state government should submit the necessary recommendations to the Central government to fulfil their demand before the election code of conduct is imposed in the state. If the state government fails to translate their demand into action, more intensive forms of movement will be carried out after consulting with various like minded groups.
General secretary of Nongmeibung Women's Development Meira Paibi Association, Nongmeibung Imphal East Mutum Subita said that considering the condition of the population, it is highly essential to get constitutional safeguarding for preservation of this indigenous community.
She urged the state government to send recommendations to the Central government for inclusion of Meitei or Meetei in the scheduled tribe list at earliest.
