ATSUM hits back to ST Demand Committe Manipur & Prime Minister

Memorandum submitted by ATSUM to shri Dr. Manmohan Singh, the ho'ble prime minister of India regarding the Demand of ST status by Meiteis

Dated July 25th, 2013

Greetings from the All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM). Allow us to air our displeasure over the demand of ST status for the Meiteis (Manipuri) under the name of Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur Valley (STDCMV) who are given your audience along with Inner Manipur MP, Dr. T. Meinya on July 10, 2013. While we understand that the demand raised by the above mentioned Committee is an issue related with the Meitei/Manipuri community of Manipur, we are compelled to raise few relevant issues before this demand is ever being considered either in the state or central government level.

Firstly, 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? Tribals of Manipur have always aired our displeasure over the Government of Manipur for being Valley centric. The hills have been neglected for the past more than sixty years. And the piecemeal development undertaken in the hills are just eyewash and excuses. The reservation policy followed by the state is also not in sync with the tribal population of the state. Whereas the population of the tribals of the state has crossed the 37% of the total population of the state, the percentage of state government employees is not even 21%. This is an absurd injustice. 

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 will lead to more demands and finally a full fledged state by the tribals of the state. Besides, Manipuri, the official language of the state of Manipur is 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 said community. The Meiteis who used the said language as their mother tongue from time immemorial and who are included in the GENERAL CATEGORY are given the benefit of writing exams conducted by UPSC in their own language after that recognition of their

language. However, 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 their community to Other Backward Classes (OBC) some years back. 

We now suspects that the prime motive for demanding ST status for the Meteis of Manipur valley is to do more with political opportunities than socio-economic and educational benefits for their people and communities. We may not be well versed nor bothered much with the criteria and guidelines on who is qualified to be included as Scheduled Tribe and who is not. We however are convinced that this demand is raised by the said Committee is with the tacit support and approval of the major NGOs of the community and even on government and political level.

Finally, before initiating any positive steps on the demand raised by the said committee, the views and opinions of all stakeholders needs to be sought and studied extensively. The tribals who for decades feel unsecured and neglected by the majority communities of Manipur will be compelled to take extreme steps if our interest and rights are being overlooked by the authority concern. Having our good faith in your good self, the tribals of this Manipur state request you to use your good office so that thrust, peace and development will hold supreme instead of misunderstanding, disunity and chaos due to this STDCMV's unethical and unreasonable demand.May good sense prevail?

On behalf of the All Tribal Students' Union

Manipur (ATSUM),Emboi Serto, President,

Marahang Ngiimai, Gen. Secy., Adani David

Mao, Speaker.

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