STDCM sustains stir

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Mar 27: The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee, Manipur (STDCM) continued its stir by holding a sit-in protest at Uripok Achom Leikai today.
The sit-in demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Meetei/Meitei community was jointly orga- nised by the Achom Leikai Women Society and the STDCM.
STDCM advisor H Jayen-takumar, vice president L Lokendra and other members of the committee and local leaders took part in the protest.
During the sit-in staged from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm, STDCM functionaries reiterated that the Meetei/Meitei community must be given constitutional protection to safeguard their identity, land and interests by including them in the ST list.
They decried that the Chief Minister N Biren Singh led Government has not yet taken up any visible step to include the community in the ST list.
For the Meetei/Meitei community to be included in the ST list, the State is required to send a recommendation to the Government of India. Years after the Centre asked the State to send the required recommendation, the Government has not yet sent the same, they said.
The STDCM is holding peaceful and democratic forms of agitation for now. If the Government remains adamant, the committee along with the people may launch stringent agitation, they added.
The STDCM members further reiterated that the demand for the ST status is not directed against any other community, but a legitimate right of the Meeteis/Meiteis to get constitutional protections like other indigenous ST communities are enjoying at present.
Granting ST status to the community would also bring harmony and foster peaceful coexistence of all the communities in the State, they said. Today was the 8th day of the stir. STDCM launched the stir from March 20.