Most Meiteis back ST demand : WMC
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By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jul 11: The World Meetei Council (WMC) has reaffirmed that the demand for the inclusion of the Meetei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list under the Constitution of India enjoys overwhelming support among the community.
In a statement issued by its chairman, Heigrujam Nabashyam, the WMC said that during the Statewide awareness campaign conducted by activists of the Meetei ST movement, the demand received support from Meetei villages and localities across Manipur wherever members of the community reside.
The Council further claimed that a mass missed-call campaign conducted in 2024 received an overwhelming response from members of the Meetei community in support of granting Scheduled Tribe status.
It also claimed that more than 10 lakh signatures were collected in support of the ST demand from a projected Meetei population of around 15 lakh.
Considering that a substantial proportion of the Meetei population comprises children who are not eligible to participate in such campaigns, the level of participation reflected support from an overwhelming majority of the adult Meetei population, the WMC claimed.
The Council further stated that around 1.5 lakh people participated in the massive rally organised by the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) in Imphal in 2015, demanding ST status for the Meetei community.
According to the WMC, the mobilisation reflected the widespread aspiration of the Meetei people for Constitutional recognition as a ST.
Referring to a video statement purportedly made by former UNLF leader RK Meghen (Sanayaima), in which he allegedly said that the Meetei ST demand is "not a serious issue" and is supported only by "a section of the Meetei people", the WMC asserted that evidence accumulated over the years through public campaigns, mass rallies and sustained grassroots mobilisation indicates that the demand enjoys broad public support across the community.
The WMC maintained that the demand for ST status is a Constitutional right and should not be a matter of negotiation among different communities.
Claiming that the Meetei population in India is around 17 lakh, it said the community is numerically smaller than both the Kuki-Zo and Naga populations in the country.
The Council also referred to the Supreme Court's Constitution Bench judgment of August 1, 2024, which, it said, upheld the principle of sub-classification within reserved categories to ensure equitable distribution of reservation benefits among different groups.
It added that the Centre and the State Governments are yet to implement the judgment and urged all tribal communities to press for its implementation.
Appealing for responsible public discourse, the WMC urged individuals participating in the debate over the ST demand to present facts responsibly and respect the aspirations of the Meetei people.
It added that constructive debate based on public opinion is essential and that the Council remains open to engagement on the issue.
IMPHAL, Jul 11: The World Meetei Council (WMC) has reaffirmed that the demand for the inclusion of the Meetei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list under the Constitution of India enjoys overwhelming support among the community.
In a statement issued by its chairman, Heigrujam Nabashyam, the WMC said that during the Statewide awareness campaign conducted by activists of the Meetei ST movement, the demand received support from Meetei villages and localities across Manipur wherever members of the community reside.
The Council further claimed that a mass missed-call campaign conducted in 2024 received an overwhelming response from members of the Meetei community in support of granting Scheduled Tribe status.
It also claimed that more than 10 lakh signatures were collected in support of the ST demand from a projected Meetei population of around 15 lakh.
Considering that a substantial proportion of the Meetei population comprises children who are not eligible to participate in such campaigns, the level of participation reflected support from an overwhelming majority of the adult Meetei population, the WMC claimed.
The Council further stated that around 1.5 lakh people participated in the massive rally organised by the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) in Imphal in 2015, demanding ST status for the Meetei community.
According to the WMC, the mobilisation reflected the widespread aspiration of the Meetei people for Constitutional recognition as a ST.
Referring to a video statement purportedly made by former UNLF leader RK Meghen (Sanayaima), in which he allegedly said that the Meetei ST demand is "not a serious issue" and is supported only by "a section of the Meetei people", the WMC asserted that evidence accumulated over the years through public campaigns, mass rallies and sustained grassroots mobilisation indicates that the demand enjoys broad public support across the community.
The WMC maintained that the demand for ST status is a Constitutional right and should not be a matter of negotiation among different communities.
Claiming that the Meetei population in India is around 17 lakh, it said the community is numerically smaller than both the Kuki-Zo and Naga populations in the country.
The Council also referred to the Supreme Court's Constitution Bench judgment of August 1, 2024, which, it said, upheld the principle of sub-classification within reserved categories to ensure equitable distribution of reservation benefits among different groups.
It added that the Centre and the State Governments are yet to implement the judgment and urged all tribal communities to press for its implementation.
Appealing for responsible public discourse, the WMC urged individuals participating in the debate over the ST demand to present facts responsibly and respect the aspirations of the Meetei people.
It added that constructive debate based on public opinion is essential and that the Council remains open to engagement on the issue.