STDCM has been demanding a constitutional safeguard to protect the culture, land and legislative rights, etc for the Meetei/Meitei, like other indigenous communities in the scheduled tribes list. The committee in its convention held earlier had resolved to go ahead with intensified agitation
TFM Report
Bishnupur police on Tuesday morning detained seven prominent and senior leaders for endorsing and enforcing the 18-hour total shutdown called and spearheaded by Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM) from Monday midnight.
The seven senior leaders have been identified as H Ghanashyam Singh, Loitongbam Debchand, Wahengbam Dhananjoy, Khangembam Ibomcha, Ningthoujam Sharat (all from Bishnupur district headquarters), W Chaobalal and Thiyam Tombi from Khoijuman village.
“Endorsing the total shutdown, we were enforcing the shutdown called by STDCM early Tuesday morning when we were picked and detained by the Bishnupur police from the main town road. We were detained till 11.30 am”, Loitongbam Debchand told TFM. The STDCM in its convention held earlier had resolved to go ahead with intensified agitation, he added.
It may be recalled that STDCM had been demanding the inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe list as per the Indian Constitution.
Several representations have been submitted to the government including the prime minister and the chief minister of Manipur. The Centre even directed the state government to send its recommendations on May 29, 2013.
STDCM has been demanding a constitutional safeguard to protect the culture, land and legislative rights, etc for the Meetei/Meitei, like other indigenous communities in the scheduled tribes list.
The STDCM have been stating that in a reply to a representation by the committee, the union government asked the state government to send its recommendations on the matter on May 29, 2013.
When Home Minister Amit Shah visited the state on December 27, 2020, the committee intimated the HM by submitting a representation. In July, 2021, it was further informed to the state government that without its recommendations, the matter could not move forward, the STDCM had stated earlier.
The STDCM has also accused the Manipur government of not making any progress on the issue.