Imphal Jul 26 UNA : The so called “Interim Body” All Tribal Student’s Union Manipur (ATSUM) joined the chorus objecting the demand for scheduled tribe status which was recently raised by Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur Valley (STDCMV) on Friday.
The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur Valley (STDCMV) has been demanding inclusion of Meiteis in the ST (Scheduled Tribe) list of the Indian Constitution considering the topography of the region which the community is settling.
The demand has received strong criticism and opposition from various tribal bodies like Naga’s apex body, the United Naga Council (UNC) and All India Tribal Students’ Association (AITSA), Manipur. The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO) also recently registered their objection to the demand.
Joining the chorus objecting the demand, All Tribal Student’s Union Manipur (ATSUM) today submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India drawing his attention towards few relevant issues before “the demand is even being considered either in the state or central government level.”
In the memorandum ATSUM said “we are bound to ask ourselves if our Meitei brothers are really trying to assert their true identity by demanding ST status.”
If so, why should not be inclusive of all the Meiteis of not just Manipur valley but also those of Assam, Tripura and elsewhere without being grouped into general, OBC, SC or ST,” the ATSUM questioned.
Tribals of Manipur have always aired their displeasure over the government of Manipur for being “valley centric”. The hills have been neglected for the past more than 60 years and the piecemeal development undertaken in the hills were just eyewash and excuses.
The reservation policy followed by the state is also not in sync with the tribal population of the state, the ATSUM alleged in the memorandum, asserting that the population of the tribals of the state has crossed 37% of the total population of the state but the percentage of tribal employees of the state government is not even 21%.
The tribals have been demanding greater autonomy of the existing Autonomous District Councils by extending the sixth scheduled provision of the Constitution to them. This rightful demand is, however, being put in cold storage for years.
The excuse being the extension of the said provision would lead to more demands and finally a full fledged state by the tribals of the state, the ASTUM lamented.
Besides, Manipuri, the official language of Manipur has already being listed in the 8th Scheduled of the Indian Constitution way back in the early 1990s due to immense pressure given by the people of the state.
The Meiteis who used this language as their mother tongue from time immemorial and who were included in the general category were given the opportunity of writing exam conducted by the UPSC in their own language after the recognition of their language.
Not satisfied with their performance in such all India level exams and with greed running over community pride and ego, they again successfully demand the inclusion of the community to Other Backward Classes (OBC) some year back.
“We now suspects that the prime motive for demanding ST status for the Meitei of Manipur valley is to do more with political opportunities than socio-economic and educational benefits for their people and communities,” ATSUM stated in the memorandum.
Before initiating any positive steps on the demand raised by the STDCMV, the views and opinions of all stakeholders need to be sought and studied extensively, the tribal based student body suggested.
The tribals who were feeling insecure and neglected for decades by the majority community of Manipur would be compelled to take extreme steps if their interest and rights are being overtaken by the authority concern, the memorandum jointly signed by its ATSUM president Emboi Serto, general secretary Marahang Ngimai and speaker Adani David Mao warned.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/atsum-joins-chorus-objecting-st-status-to-meiteis/
