Newmai News Network
IMPHAL | September 7
The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) on Saturday alleged that the BJP-led coalition government lacks the political will to press the Centre for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list of India.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday at its office in Imphal’s Thangmeiband, convenor of Coordinating Body of STDCM, L Romesh alleged that lack of political will is behind the delay in sending the recommendation by the state government to the Centre. He also said that after the release of 19 members of the STDCM including its president, a delegation of the committee held talks with chief minister on latter’s invitation.
Police on Friday detained the 19 members of the STDCM while they were locking the office of Northern Frontier Railway in Imphal.
The STDCM leaders said that after meeting the chief minister they came to know that the state government was unable to send the recommendation to the Centre due to objections from certain pressure groups. "This clearly shows that the chief minister does not push the issue with a political will,” he said.
The meeting between the STDCM leaders and the chief minister ended with "no encouraging development as the chief minister was unable to give a satisfactory response to the demand of the committee during the talks, Romesh said.
According to Romesh, STDCM has been pressing the state government to recommend the Centre to include Meetei/Meitei community of Manipur in the Scheduled Tribe list of India. "ST status is the only way to protect the rights and identity of our community through a Constitutional safeguard," Romesh said.
Romesh then said that despite the strong pressure, the state government is yet to recommend it to the Centre which is mandatory for the Central government for consideration.
