Manipur: Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee meets minister seeking inclusion of Meiteis in ST list

The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) on October 22 met the state's social welfare minister Heikham Dingo in Imphal and urged him to help them for the inclusion of Meiteis in the ST list of India.

STDCM who went to the social welfare minister Dingo's residence also submitted a memorandum in this regard.

Meanwhile, the minister assured them to recommend their memorandum to the state's Chief Minister N Biren Singh.

As per reports, the minister further opined that since the state is inhabited by different communities, it becomes difficult to fulfill demand as there is a difference in opinions and interests. 

Earlier, STDCM had also met CAF and PD Minister L Susindro who had assured them of taking necessary steps in convening the same with the Chief Minister and other cabinet colleagues.

On October 13, pursuing its demand to enlist Meetei/Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list of the Indian Constitution, the STDCM decided to hold a mega public convention to decide the fate of the ST status.

Earlier in a protest on October 2, one of the protesters asked the government to send the recommendations sought by the Centre so that Meetei/Meitei could be granted some sort of Constitutional protection.

Saying that it wasn't right for the Government to sideline the movement spearheaded by STDCM, STDCM working president L. Lokendra urged the government to understand the sentiments of the people and send the ethnographic and socio-economic report of the ethnic group at the earliest.