Several districts of Manipur were vandalized and arson amid tension in the northeastern state amid widespread protests against the demand for inclusion of Meiteis in the ST category. , Photo Credit: ANI
Dinganglung Gangmei, Chairman of the Hill Areas Committee of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, on Thursday rejected the protest demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Meitei community in the state. violent clashes Among groups against seeking inclusion and those in favor.
This comes a day after the Manipur High Court issued notice to Mr Gangmei and the president of the All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur, in a petition filed by members of the Meitei community to make press statements and pass resolutions opposing its order. On contempt petition. ,
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice MV Muraleedharan also issued notice to the state’s Director General of Police asking him to ensure his presence before the court on May 8. On 20 April, the Hill Areas Committee passed a unanimous resolution protesting the Manipur High Court order, which on 27 March had directed the state government to expeditiously consider the matter of Meitei inclusion.
Mr. Gangmei told Hindu, “It is a complex issue that needs to be addressed by the authorities by involving all the stakeholders.” When asked about the resolution passed by the HAC calling on the state and central governments to appeal against the court order, the BJP MLA said, “In a democracy, everyone is welcome to make their demands and appeal and people They have equal right to express their protest. This. Whether there is anything in Meitei’s demand or not is for the competent authority to decide.
He added that “public sentiment” in the hill region – which largely comprises STs (Nagas and Kukis) – needed to be considered. Mr. Gangmei said, “I hope that there will be a better understanding and that all the ruling legislators, cabinet, government and law enforcement are doing their best and we are appealing for calm.”
The state’s existing ST representing bodies have been opposing the Meitei demand for decades and have organized several protests following the High Court order. Violence erupted on 3 May, when protests took place in several districts as part of the “Tribal Solidarity March”.
Currently, Manipur has 34 communities recognized as Scheduled Tribes, which include the Naga and Kuki communities. They constitute a little over 41% of the total population of the state as per the 2011 census. However, the Meitei people dominate more than half of the state’s assembly constituencies and constitute more than 50% of the state’s population. Most of the Meiteis identify themselves as Hindus, while most of the Christians in the state belong to the Scheduled Tribes.
The Scheduled Tribes Demand Committee has been demanding ST status for the Meiteis for more than a decade.
As per the procedure followed by the central government, any proposal for inclusion must come from the state government. The Manipur High Court had noted that the Center had sought a detailed recommendation from the state on the subject but the same had not been sent.