Imphal, July 29: The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) has renewed its call for granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Meitei/Meetei community, asserting that the demand is not aimed at infringing upon the rights or interests of other indigenous communities in the state.

In a press statement issued on July 28, the STDCM clarified that the demand stems from the need to safeguard the Meitei/Meetei people’s identity and ensure their constitutional rights. The committee emphasized that the community has been excluded from the ST list since 1951, a decision it described as arbitrary and detrimental to the group’s cultural and demographic survival.

The STDCM revealed that a memorandum outlining the rationale behind the ST status demand was submitted to Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla after repeated attempts to secure an appointment went unanswered. The memorandum also sought to address what the committee views as misconceptions linking the demand to recent ethnic violence in the state.

Referencing the May 3, 2023, violence that erupted in parts of Manipur following a “Tribal Solidarity March” by the All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur (ATSUM), the STDCM argued that the unrest was misattributed to the Manipur High Court’s April 19, 2023 order directing the state government to consider the Meitei/Meetei ST demand. The committee maintained that the violence occurred primarily in areas inhabited by Kuki groups, whereas the same rally passed peacefully in other tribal-dominated regions.

“Had the High Court’s order been the root cause, violence would have erupted across all tribal regions,” the STDCM stated, adding that “unfounded narratives” have painted their cause as hostile to other indigenous communities.

The committee described the Meitei/Meetei as one of the principal indigenous groups of Manipur and warned that continued exclusion from the ST list poses existential threats, including loss of land, identity, and political safeguards.

Reiterating the urgency of their appeal, the STDCM called on both the state and central governments to take immediate steps to recognize the Meitei/Meetei as a Scheduled Tribe. The committee believes that doing so would not only protect the community’s rights but also promote inclusive development and social harmony in Manipur.