Imphal, January 18 (NNN): The Movement for Tribal Peoples Rights, Manipur (MTPRM) has strongly resented the proposal of an organisation that the Tribal Development portfolio be given to a non-tribal MLA.

The MTPRM alleged that as per newspaper reports, North Imphal United Clubs and Meira Paibis� Organisation had submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh recently suggesting that the Tribal Development portoflio be given to any MLA hailing from a Valley Assembly Constituency.

The tribal rights body said that the demand of the North Imphal United Clubs and Meira Paibis Organisation�s demand was absurd and betray its dominant attitude against the tribal people.

MTPRM said that the North Imphal United Clubs and Meira Paibis Organisation, according to an Imphal based newspaper report, had reasoned that their demand to award the TD portfolio to a non-tribal MLA was raised as no developments had been brought in the hill areas even though the TD portfolio has always been held by tribal MLAs.

The MTPRM urged the non-tribals including the undergrounds to stop interfering in the working of the Tribal Development department and demanded that the TD department be shifted to a hill area without any delay alleging that the non-tribals and the underground organisations have been interfering in its functioning which have hampered its free functioning.

The tribal rights body also stated that the 40 MLAs hailing from valley ACs are getting three share of every tribal development schemes and said that giving more share of the tribals would amount to ruining the hill areas.

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