‘Adopt resolution in Assembly to send ST report’ CM shouldn't worry now : WMC

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Aug 11 : Saying that Chief Minister N Biren Singh should no longer worry about other communities opposing the demand to enlist Meetei/Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list as the Supreme Court advocates sub-classification within the Scheduled Caste (SC) and ST reservation, the World Meetei Council (WMC) has urged the Chief Minister to ensure Meetei/Meitei gets the ST status by 2025.
WMC, in a statement signed by its chairman Heigrujam Nabashyam, continued that the identity of Meetei/Meetei will disappear gradually if the ethnic group is not given Constitutional safeguard in the form of ST before the proposed delimitation in 2026.
Notably, the Supreme Court had on August 1, ruled that the States must identify ‘creamy layer’ in the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) and exclude them from quota benefits. The Supreme Court also ruled by a majority judgment that sub-classification within the SC and ST reservation is permissible.
Responding to the ruling of the apex Court, the Union Cabinet had  on August 9 stated that there is no provision for creamy layer in the reservations for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Constitution, and the Government is committed to upholding it.
The Council asked the Chief Minister and all concerned to not associate Meetei/Meitei demand for ST status with the unrest in Manipur.
Reiterating that the Meetei/Meetei should be given the ST status by 2025 to preserve its identity as the proposed delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly seats is set to take place in 2026, the WMC said that  nobody would be able to protect Meetei/Meitei if the ethnic group doesn't get the ST tag by next year.
The process to include a community in the ST list is lengthy, the WMC said and asked the Chief Minister to announce a concrete resolution  in support of the demand to enlist Meetei/Meitei in the ST list on the last day of the Assembly session on August 12.