Should we Meitei / Meetei belong to Minority community or Schedule Tribes of India?
- Part 2 -

Chengleima Laisom *

Peoples' Convention on 'Scheduled Tribe Status In Manipur' at Iboyaima Shanglen on 14th May 2016 :: Pix - Shankar Khangembam

Let us take this right time to seek for our pure status and cost of leaving with true Identity before we are going to be endangered from every aspect.Now, Meiteis especially in Manipur are really in a poor shape in terms economy and religious status as Meiteis are neither fully Hindu nor believe 100 % in their own religion Sanamahi.

So, if you really love your ancestor and forefather you need to conserve your tradition, culture, laws and religion with a proper understanding of Indian constitution otherwise day by day we will lose our right and status.I am quite sure that Meitei Individuals are hard work, intelligent, warm friendship but without a proper status or Identity it may not be a longer to survive in this highly competitive world.

It is true that Manipuri Kuki and Naga are well protected by the Schedule tribe status including the lands and revenues whereas Meiteis neither belong to any protected status, which impact a lots in the employees and Human rights. Since, 5 years some section of Meiteis becomes OBCs but it is not a right terms if Govt. of India is comparing Meitei with the communities like the Muslims, Haryanvi, UP, Bihar, (Raj put, Thakurs) and South Indian OBCs as they have population in terms of millions and belong to the major religious group.

Meitei should care about them while deciding for the categorization of the socially and economically backward classes among the religious and linguistic minority as they have population of about 13 lakhs only with a settlement area of about 709 sq. km in Manipur Valley and outside the states. My Slogan is that if Meetei are protected in the valley only then our brothers and sisters of the hill will remain safe otherwise after decades both the people of hills and valley of Manipur will be losing its population, politics, identity and culture after a huge assimilation with migrant population.

We should support ILPS in Manipur as it is a genuine need of our state as lands are grab in the name of development but occupied by migrants in original terms. Before trains reaches Imphal valley lets safe our identity and decide our status for the future survival of the Meetei and all the tribal communities who are truly belong to this state.an be simply helpful to the community in terms of Identity like religious minority and indigenous right of Northeast Indian as we don’t belong to the Schedule tribe and Caste in the stage.

The right of the minority and indigenous people of Northeast India is going to be strongly affected day by day from every action and plan of Indian Govt. like construction of Hydroelectric power projects Dams in the tectonically active areas, and base camps of Army, endangering of the rich Biodiversity, intrusion of the economic and business holder from the outside.

So, it is not only to have the protection right of the indigenous people but also the protection of nature and biodiversity of North East India from the Govt. of Indian Policies. But it is very necessary to stabilize the education and the economy of the indigenous people to make the voice to stop the destruction of Northeast peace, landscapes and biodiversity. At most of the places the outsiders or migrants or refugees people take it easy to follow or accepted a system where the majority power need within a state or countries.

For example Sikkim a mountain country was handled to the Govt. of India by a refugee Nepali lawyer who lives in the Sikkim under the kingdom rule to become a Sikkim a democratic state of India. These activities can happened in case of Manipur as Manipur was and has been dominated by the mixed minded or blooded people who never think of themselves in terms of Identity, who almost assimilated with the outsider since 18 century. We should realize these things in the mind of the indigenous people otherwise Manipur may not become a place for its own people.

In a case we can ask ourselves a question that Is Manipuri Meitei stills an Indigenous as compared to the other OBCs of India.??Yes, Meiteis are still an indigenous weaker section having a population of about 13 lakhs with stronger cultural and traditional but the small no. of employees in the central Jobs. They have been suffering more in terms of economy, education, landmarks, lifestyle, religious identity and community identity.

But Meiteis never realized such things which are more necessary to have better future with a stronger rights and peaceful mind.Whereas if we don’t say or ask our problem who will do our help for this it may be very difficult to remind the Indian Govt. openly as Manipur is always believe to be the sons of one mother, if Meiteis thinks for their own may be other community may have mind but it is not like that Meiteis will create more betterment of the development and educational sectors to Manipur as we belong to the indigenous community, we should take ourselves a better initiative with the other Indigenous community .

But it will be very difficult to say that sons of Manipuri belong to a single mother in terms of Indigenous right including Bihari, Marwari, Punjabi, Burmese, Nepalese, and Bangladeshi Muslims. They should follow the same right, which are applied by the Govt. of India like Business community or refugee, status. The human right should be same among them and us.

We know the right of the people leaving as a businessmen have very genuine right of protection as compare to the indigenous Manipuri by keeping Army and police force for them, on the other hand indigenous people can be killed anytime by violating the human right for those outsiders human right. It is still having the problem of difference of cost of human life by comparing the village and city people in India.

AFSP act make Manipuri very cheaper in front of the world, which can be kill anytime if you are suspected and act against the owner of the house. My suggestion is that we indigenous minority needs a stronger protection base on the laws and regulation of Govt. of India through our sound demand otherwise day will be gone out to safe our identity and economy. Let us take this right time to seek for our pure status and cost of leaving with true Identity before we are going to be endangered from every aspect.

Now, Meiteis especially in Manipur are really in a poor shape in terms economy and religious status as Meiteis are neither fully Hindu nor believe 100 % in their own religion Sanamahi. So, if you really love your ancestor and forefather you need to conserve your tradition, culture, laws and religion with a proper understanding of Indian constitution otherwise day by day we will lose our right and status.

I am quite sure that Meitei Individuals are hard work, intelligent, warm friendship but without a proper status or Identity it may not be a longer to survive in this highly competitive world. It is true that Manipuri Kuki and Naga are well protected by the Schedule tribe status including the lands and revenues whereas Meiteis neither belong to any protected status, which impact a lots in the employees and Human rights.

Since, 5 years some section of Meiteis becomes OBCs but it is not a right terms if Govt. of India is comparing Meitei with the communities like the Muslims, Haryanvi, UP, Bihar, (Raj put, Thakurs) and South Indian OBCs as they have population in terms of millions and belong to the major religious group. Meitei should care about them while deciding for the categorization of the socially and economically backward classes among the religious and linguistic minority as they have population of about 13 lakhs only with a settlement area of about 709 sq. km in Manipur Valley and outside the states.

My Slogan is that if Meetei are protected in the valley only then our brothers and sisters of the hill will remain safe otherwise after decades both the people of hills and valley of Manipur will be losing its population, politics, identity and culture after a huge assimilation with migrant population.

We should support ILPS in Manipur as it is a genuine need of our state as lands are grab in the name of development but occupied by migrants in original terms. Before trains reaches Imphal valley lets safe our identity and decide our status for the future survival of the Meetei and all the tribal communities who are truly belong to this state.

Concluded....