STDCM warns of intensified stir from 2nd half of Oct

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 8 : The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) has reiterated its stand to carry out a series of aggressive agitation from the second half of  the current month if the Government remains indifferent to its ongoing democratic move-ment for enlistment of Meetei/Meitei in the Sche-duled Tribe (ST) list of the Indian Constitution.
Addressing the media at the premises of Ima Khun-thokhanbi Shanglen at Thangmeiband today, STDCM convenor L Romesh Meitei said that the committee has been staging democratic protest demonstration at over 40 locations  since August 26 so as to make the Government aware of the necessity to grant ST tag to the ethnic group whose existence has been threatened by demographic imbalance and other factors.
Saying that the Government, however, hasn't made any concrete  statement on sending the requisite recommendations sought by the Centre to enlist Meetei/Meitei in the ST list till today, Romesh Meitei continued that the movement of STDCM which is being supported 27 coordinating bodies including World Meetei Council (WMC) and Salai Kanba Lup (SKL) will complete 10 years the next month (November).
He reminded that the matter being raised by STDCM to protect the Meetei/Meitei was at one time supported by many Members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly but no tangible actions have been taken up so far to secure the future of the ethnic group.
Reiterating that the STDCM along with like minded groups have been staging different democratic protest demonstrations since August 26 last, he accused the Government of not taking the problems being faced  by Meetei/Meitei seriously.
Romesh Meetei also said that what the STDCM has been demanding is a  birthright of every Meetei/Meitei.
Informing that STDCM will hold a public convention at Ima Khunthokhanbi Shanglen along with different CSOs and its coordi- nating bodies  on October 13 to decide its future course of actions, Romesh Meetei maintained that the STDCM will intensify its agitation after taking the people's mandate.
He appealed to all to attend the  public convention.
"The Meetei/Meitei must be given their due rights as an indigenous people of Manipur," he said and asked if the Government will not take the matter seriously unless the people resort to violence to protect the ethnic group.
He then urged the State Government to send the ethnography and socio-economic report of the Meetei/Meitei to the Centre at the earliest so as to grant ST tag to the ethnic group.
Meanwhile, STDCM and Wakhanlon Mannaba Apunba  (WMA), Kangleipak staged a sit-in protest at  Wahengbam Leikai today.
The protesters there also urged the State Government to send the recommendations needed to enlist Meetei/Meitei in the ST list at the earliest.
At the protest site, WMA president Moirangthem Naokhamba Meitei also stressed on the need to grant ST tag to the Meetei/Meitei.
Similar protests were also staged at Laingoubi in Bishnupur district and Khundrakpam Awang Leikai.