Imphal, May 20: Questioning the veracity of recognising the people of Chairen as Scheduled Castes recently, MLA S Chandra has stated that the distribution of SC certificates issued by SDO of Kakching Sub-Division by Minister N Mangi and PDA Chairman K Ranjit was a direct affront to the Constitution of India.

Addressing a press conference, attended by members of All Manipur Scheduled Castes� Association (AMSCA), at his Babupara official bungalow here this afternoon, Chandra, who himself is an SC, questioned on what ground the people of Chairen have been declared and issued SC certificates.

Elaborating, he said that the Lois of the eight villages mentioned in the notification issued by President of India in 1956, after being verified by the Statutory Commission are the real SC people.

The eight villages mentioned in the notification are Sekmai (Awang), Phayeng, Khurkhul, Koutruk, Leimaram Khunou (Tairenpokpi) and Andro, he pointed out.

Even all the people living in these eight villagers are not considered SC.

Only the Lois were recognised as SC by Statutory Commission, he added.

He further said, even if the State Government intends to extend SC status to a particular group of people by clubbing them with Lois, a recommendation should be made for discussion and subsequently approval by the Parliament.

Only then the President of India can issue a notification declaring the said group of people as SC, the MLA elaborated. Observing that the Constitution of India provides certain privileges to the SC people in view of their socio-economic backwardness, Chandra alleged that in Manipur the situation is different.

Instead of giving protection to these backward people, the State Government works against their interest, he alleged.

Commenting on distribution of SC certificates issued by SDO of Kakching Sub-Division recently, Chandra said he was surprised to see the Minister and the MLA distributing the SC certificates on television.

It was an unprecedented event, he added.

AMSCA advisor Khwairakpam Rotonmani who comes from Awang Sekmai, another SC colony, said that remarks of the Minister and the MLA that people of Kumbi, Sugnu, Wangoo, Waikhong, etc would also be given the SC status was confusing.

It was not clear whether these people are already in the list or their names would be inserted, he said.

He recalled that Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh had stated there was no change in the list of the Scheduled Castes people in Manipur in response to a starred-question asked by MLA Chandra on the floor of the House on July 5, 2002.Despite that SDOs in the State are issuing SC certificates to even those people who do not belong to SC, he lamented.

How could a person who was not born as SC, be considered as SC, he wondered.

He further said as per the Census Reports of 1961, 1971 and 1981 there were no SC people in places like Kakching, but in the census report of 1991, there were many.

According to the 1991 Census report, the number of SC people in Kakching was 11,000, but it has been drastically increased to 26,477 as per 2001 Census report, he said, adding such underhand dealing has deprived the privileges entitled to genuine SC people in the State.

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