MMTU urges Shah to add Meiteis in ST list
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By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Apr 14 : The Meetei (Meitei) Tribe Union (MMTU) has asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah to tender an apology for 'wrongfully' depicting the judgment of the Manipur High Court which asked the State Government to send a recommendation to the Centre on Meetei/Meitei demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status as the cause of violence in Manipur during his stay in the State on April 15.
MMTU, in a statement, also asked the Union Home Minister to announce that Meetei/Meitei will surely be given the ST status without awaiting the recommendation from the State Government while he is in the State.
The statement of MTU which requested Amit Shah to take up some measures to end the crisis besetting Manipur since May 3 last year in the opening line centres around the Meetei/Meitei demand for ST status.
Reminding that the Union Home Minister guaranteed to add Pahadi ethnic group in Jammu and Kashmir which has about 12 lakh population in the ST list without any recommendation during an election campaign held at Rajouri in Jammu on October 4, 2022, the MMTU added that the Central Government commenced the official proceeding to give ST status to the Pahadi ethnic group despite objections from the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities.
The Union went on to state that Pahadi, Paddari, Gadda Brahman and Koli groups were enlisted in the ST list on February 6, 2024 without any official recommendation and despite the objection by sections of people.
Appealing to the Union Home Minister to give a nod to add Meetei/Meitei in the ST list while visiting the State tomorrow (April 15), the MMTU said that they will take the Centre as a biased Government if the demand is not entertained.
Stating that they will commence its "Not ST, No Vote" ahead of the 18th Lok Sabha election, the MMTU said that they have started submitting a circular to some National and regional political parties and candidates of the Parliamentary election in both the Inner and Outer seats of the State to make their stand clear on the ST status demand by Meetei/Meitei from March 29 onwards.
The MMTU said that they have received consent letters from the Indian National Congress (INC) and some candidates of the Lok Sabha election in Inner seat viz Maheshwar Thounaojam (RPI-Athawale), Moirangtham Totomsana (Independent), RK Somerendro alias Kaiku (Independent) and Retd Colonel Haorungbam Sarat (Independent) on adding Meetei/Meitei in the ST list. The Union claimed that Independent candidate in Outer seat Alyson Abomai has also sent his reply to them.
Presidents and secretaries of some National and regional political parties which don't field candidates in the Parliamentary election have also submitted their consent letters to them but the ruling BJP and NPF haven't responded, the Union added.
Appealing to the candidates in the Outer seat to not forget that there are over 2.5 lakh Meetei voters in the Constituency (Outer) and majority of them want enlistment of the ethnic group in the ST list, the MMTU added that their campaign "No ST, No Vote" will continue until ANSAM withdraws its memorandum submitted against the ST status demand by the Meetei.
The Union reminded that its mass missed call campaign for the inclusion of the Meetei in the ST list was supported by over 9 lakh people and it speaks volumes of the sentiment of the people.
IMPHAL, Apr 14 : The Meetei (Meitei) Tribe Union (MMTU) has asked Union Home Minister Amit Shah to tender an apology for 'wrongfully' depicting the judgment of the Manipur High Court which asked the State Government to send a recommendation to the Centre on Meetei/Meitei demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status as the cause of violence in Manipur during his stay in the State on April 15.
MMTU, in a statement, also asked the Union Home Minister to announce that Meetei/Meitei will surely be given the ST status without awaiting the recommendation from the State Government while he is in the State.
The statement of MTU which requested Amit Shah to take up some measures to end the crisis besetting Manipur since May 3 last year in the opening line centres around the Meetei/Meitei demand for ST status.
Reminding that the Union Home Minister guaranteed to add Pahadi ethnic group in Jammu and Kashmir which has about 12 lakh population in the ST list without any recommendation during an election campaign held at Rajouri in Jammu on October 4, 2022, the MMTU added that the Central Government commenced the official proceeding to give ST status to the Pahadi ethnic group despite objections from the Gujjar and Bakerwal communities.
The Union went on to state that Pahadi, Paddari, Gadda Brahman and Koli groups were enlisted in the ST list on February 6, 2024 without any official recommendation and despite the objection by sections of people.
Appealing to the Union Home Minister to give a nod to add Meetei/Meitei in the ST list while visiting the State tomorrow (April 15), the MMTU said that they will take the Centre as a biased Government if the demand is not entertained.
Stating that they will commence its "Not ST, No Vote" ahead of the 18th Lok Sabha election, the MMTU said that they have started submitting a circular to some National and regional political parties and candidates of the Parliamentary election in both the Inner and Outer seats of the State to make their stand clear on the ST status demand by Meetei/Meitei from March 29 onwards.
The MMTU said that they have received consent letters from the Indian National Congress (INC) and some candidates of the Lok Sabha election in Inner seat viz Maheshwar Thounaojam (RPI-Athawale), Moirangtham Totomsana (Independent), RK Somerendro alias Kaiku (Independent) and Retd Colonel Haorungbam Sarat (Independent) on adding Meetei/Meitei in the ST list. The Union claimed that Independent candidate in Outer seat Alyson Abomai has also sent his reply to them.
Presidents and secretaries of some National and regional political parties which don't field candidates in the Parliamentary election have also submitted their consent letters to them but the ruling BJP and NPF haven't responded, the Union added.
Appealing to the candidates in the Outer seat to not forget that there are over 2.5 lakh Meetei voters in the Constituency (Outer) and majority of them want enlistment of the ethnic group in the ST list, the MMTU added that their campaign "No ST, No Vote" will continue until ANSAM withdraws its memorandum submitted against the ST status demand by the Meetei.
The Union reminded that its mass missed call campaign for the inclusion of the Meetei in the ST list was supported by over 9 lakh people and it speaks volumes of the sentiment of the people.