Manipur: Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee defends Meitei ST status

The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) has taken note of a memorandum submitted by the All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) to the Governor of Manipur on February 17, opposing STDCM's demand for inclusion of indigenous Meitei/Meetei tribe of Manipur in the ST list. 

STDCM reiterates that its demand for ST status for the indigenous Meitei/Meetei is in accordance with the Constitution of India. 

In a release the STDCM states, "The India Government has established procedures, modalities, and criteria for considering claims for inclusion in the ST list. It is for the Government to decide whether such inclusion is justified. Meitei/Meetei's claim for ST status does not involve reversal or downgrading of social status or historical; it is a matter for the concerned authority to determine." 

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Further, the ST demand committee asserted that if ANSAM or any other organization or community has grievances, they should approach the state government for redressal instead of opposing a fellow indigenous tribe's claim for Constitutional safeguards. 

STDCM also emphasizes that its demand does not intend to infringe upon the interests of other communities already included in the ST list. 

"The goal is to secure constitutional safeguards for the survival of the indigenous Meitei/Meetei tribe in Manipur," the release added.

Finally, STDCM is committed to promoting unity among all indigenous communities in Manipur, fostering peaceful co-existence and mutual progress.