STDCM warns of shutdown; send report, urges WMC

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Dec 17 : The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM) has warned of imposing 18 hours  shut-down in Manipur from the midnight of December 28 if a recommendation for grant-ing ST tag to Meetei/Meitei is not sent to the Centre by December 27.
The World Meetei Council (WMC) has also urged the State Government to send the ethnographic and socio-economic report of Meetei/Meitei to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs on or before December 27 so as to include the ethnic group  in the ST list of the Indian Constitution.
The WMC stated that the council along with like minded groups will launch a series of agitation from December 28 if the demand is ignored.
In a statement, STDCM said that the committee has been  urging the Centre and the State Government since 2012 to protect the Meetei/Meitei, which is an indigenous group of Manipur, under the Constitution of India.
Saying that the movement which was put on halt for months due to the Covid pandemic resumed on October 28 last at Khurai Lam- long, the STDCM aserted that a reminder (representation) was already submitted to the Chief Minister to send the recommendation before the election code of conduct becomes effective.
Unfortunately, the Chief Minister has not given any positive response to the demand of STDCM, till date, it said.
Clarifying that every community has the right to demand for inclusion in the ST if it fulfills the required criteria, the STDCM said the State Government must work out a proper  policy if certain communities fear that the inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the ST list will harm their interest.
He then urged all not to give unjustified and dry arguments to the movement of STDCM as every entity has the right to express their opinions in a democratic country.
If the demand of the STDCM is not entertained even after  the imposition of shutdown, then the committee will launch more intense modes of agitation such as picketing Central and State offices, meira rally and others, it added.
The STDCM urged all to extend support in their movement.
On the other hand, WMC chairman Heikrujam Nabashyam, during a press meet held at Manipur press Club today, said that the WMC is willing to co-operate in drafting the report within 7 days with the help of researchers, scholars and experts if the Government is not able to  do so.
Reminding that the Centre had already asked the State to send the updated ethnographic and socio-economic report of Meetei/Meitei in 2013, Nabhashyam rued that the successive Governments, however, didn't send the report till date.
The council had, apart from submitting a memorandum to the Government, staged several protests to expeditiously send  the report, he said and added that the Meetei/Meitei is living as a second class citizen in its own land as the ethic group could only reside in the valley of Manipur.
Claiming that the incessant entry of refugees from neighbouring countries such as Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nepal are another issue of concern as it causes demographic imbalance in the State, Nabashyam cautioned that the Meitei/Meetei will disappear over the course of time if the issue is not checked  by granting ST status to the ethnic group.
He further stated that imposition of election code of conduct has nothing to do with sending the report.
Later, the WMC resolved to endorse all movements taken up by the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM) for the cause.