WMC renews call to send ethnography report
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Our Correspondent
Thoubal, Feb 13 : The World Meetei Council (WMC) has once again urged the new State Government to send the ethnography and socio-economic report of the Meetei/Meitei community to the Centre for their inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list of the Indian Constitution.
Speaking at a public meeting at Salungpham, Thoubal today, WMC Manipur unit president Urikhinbam Kunjo stated that the future of the Meetei/Meitei community hangs in the balance, emphasizing the need for Constitutional safeguards to secure their future.
He also warned that the Meetei/Meitei will become more and more deprived if the community is not granted ST status.
Stating that only about 6.5 percent of Manipur’s total geographical area, located in the valley districts, is inhabitable by all communities of the State, he added that the protection of these valley districts will be ensured if the Meetei/Meitei community is granted ST status.
He also stated that including the Meetei/Meitei community in the ST list will prevent the land and resources of Manipur from being overwhelmed by non-locals.
Claiming that Jiribam is now populated by non-locals, with some even becoming even elected representatives, he added that the Meetei/Meitei community can no longer freely perform their rituals, such as Saroi Khangba today in the district.
The situation in Imphal is equally alarming with non-locals occupying vast tracts of land, he said.
Kunjo continued that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and border fencing may help safeguard the territory of Manipur, but they alone will not ensure the security of the Meetei/Meitei community.
Without Constitutional safeguards, the Meetei/Meitei community will become increasingly marginalized, he said and urged the Government to take the necessary steps to address the issue.
WMC chairman Heikrujam Nabashyam also attended the programme, among others.
Thoubal, Feb 13 : The World Meetei Council (WMC) has once again urged the new State Government to send the ethnography and socio-economic report of the Meetei/Meitei community to the Centre for their inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list of the Indian Constitution.
Speaking at a public meeting at Salungpham, Thoubal today, WMC Manipur unit president Urikhinbam Kunjo stated that the future of the Meetei/Meitei community hangs in the balance, emphasizing the need for Constitutional safeguards to secure their future.
He also warned that the Meetei/Meitei will become more and more deprived if the community is not granted ST status.
Stating that only about 6.5 percent of Manipur’s total geographical area, located in the valley districts, is inhabitable by all communities of the State, he added that the protection of these valley districts will be ensured if the Meetei/Meitei community is granted ST status.
He also stated that including the Meetei/Meitei community in the ST list will prevent the land and resources of Manipur from being overwhelmed by non-locals.
Claiming that Jiribam is now populated by non-locals, with some even becoming even elected representatives, he added that the Meetei/Meitei community can no longer freely perform their rituals, such as Saroi Khangba today in the district.
The situation in Imphal is equally alarming with non-locals occupying vast tracts of land, he said.
Kunjo continued that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and border fencing may help safeguard the territory of Manipur, but they alone will not ensure the security of the Meetei/Meitei community.
Without Constitutional safeguards, the Meetei/Meitei community will become increasingly marginalized, he said and urged the Government to take the necessary steps to address the issue.
WMC chairman Heikrujam Nabashyam also attended the programme, among others.