Page 4 - Et Demand News Today

The deafening silence of the 20 tribal MLAs on the matter for many months when their Meitei counterparts have come out openly is raising lots of questions, the ATSUM stated.

Meetei-Pangal Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee said a strong movement will be launched to raise the demand upon the state government to make Manipur an inclusive scheduled tribe state as a whole from January 27.

The agitation, which lasted for around 30 minutes, caused a huge traffic congestion along the roads of Lamlong Bazar. Ironically, no security personnel was seen turning up to control the mob.

Meetei community regretted putting the case of ‘Meetei tribe’ in the General category after Manipur being merged to the Union of India, says MTU secretary (adm) M Churamani.

The Kuki students' apex body of Manipur said that the demand for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei under the Scheduled Tribe category is considered with the "greatest trepidation" from the tribal communities of the state.

The Kuki students' apex body of Manipur said that the demand for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei under the Scheduled Tribe category is considered with the "greatest trepidation" from the tribal communities of the state.

The ANSAM had articulated the myriad of reasons and grounds of justification for standing against the STDCM demand in its representation submitted to the Hill Areas Committee, Manipur Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

ATSUM leaders apprised the chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribe about the seriousness of the demand pointing out that ST status for the Meitei would result in adverse social upheaval not only in the state of Manipur but also in the whole tribal society in the country, once the Meitei community is granted ST status.

Such opinion polls being initiated by the Department of Economics and Statistics does not specify the target community whose opinion is being sought, Schedule Tribe Demand Committee (STDCM) said in a statement.

ATSUM apprised the minister of the threat and insecurity felt by the tribal people of Manipur due to the alleged illogical and illegitimate demand of the STDCM for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei community into Schedule Tribes categories.