I back ST demand : Basantakumar

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Apr 14 : BJP candidate in Inner Manipur Parliamentary Constituency Th Basantakumar has stated that he supports the popular demand for enlistment of Meitei/Meetei in the ST category and he would work at his best level to fulfil the same aspiration in case he is elected to the Lok Sabha.
As a part of its campaign to meet the (Meitei) candidates of the 18th Lok Sabha election and elicit their viewpoints on the ST issue, a team of STDCM called on Th Basantakumar who is also the Education Minister in the N Biren-Government at his Babupara quarters this morning.
Talking with the visiting STDCM team, the BJP candidate stated his position on the ST issue before the media.
Sharing his personal opinion, Basantakumar said that the demand for enlistment of Meitei/Meetei in the ST category is quite legitimate and justified.
“Before I joined electoral politics, I talked with different sections of people and tried to understand the threats facing the indigenous people and how to protect Manipur. In this discourse, many people raised the issue of ST demand and it emerged as a prominent issue”, Basantakumar said.
He asserted that enlistment of Meitei/Meetei in the ST category would bring about mutual respect and harmony among the indigenous people of the land apart from consolidating the State’s unity and integrity. Granting ST status to the Meitei community would also go a long way in securing a brighter future for students and youth, Basantakumar said.
The State Government views the ST issue very seriously and the issue is discussed quite often within the Government, he said.
“If I’m elected as an MP, I would lobby hard with the Central Government and work at my best level to fulfil the popular demand”, he vowed.
A few days back, STDCM leaders met Congress candidate Dr Angomcha Bimol Akoijam  and talked on the same issue.
Dr Bimol too expressed his support to the  popular demand for extending Constitutional protection to the Meitei community by way of putting the community under the Constitution’s ST list.