TMB Report
Imphal: The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (STDCM) continues to pile up its pressure on the ruling Ministers and MLAs of Biren government demanding to send recommendation to the Centre for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei community in the Scheduled Tribe list as members of the Committee and other like-minded CSOs stormed the Ningthoukhong residence of Minister of Works, Youth Affairs & Sports, Govindas Konthoujam and Khuyathong residence of Thangmeiband MLA Khumukcham Joykishan simultaneously on Sunday.
A group of protestors led by President of STDCM, Dhiraj Yumnam, Advisor Prof H Jayantakumar, Finance Secretary Kh Kunder, Convenor L Romesh stormed the Ningthoukhong residence of Minister Govindas Konthoujam while another group led by Working President of STDCM, L Lokendra, Vice President, S Manglem, General Secretary K Bhogendrajit, convenor of Women wing, RK Tharaksana and convenor of youth wing N Edison stormed Joykishan’s residence and submitted memorandum.
Works Minister Govindas Konthoujam while upholding the demand of the STDCM said that the inclusion of Meetei/Meitei is a rightful demand to safeguard the endangered community and that granting ST status to Meetei /Meitei community won’t infringe the interest of other communities.
He conveyed that the Chief Minister has also a firm decision to protect and develop the endangered Meetei/Meitei community and that he won’t do anything that will affect divide the people.
Speaking to reporters on the sideline, MLA Khumukcham Joykishan stressed on the need for launching a door to door awareness campaign on the issue, observing that the Centre and the state government will definitely take up necessary action once the majority of the people endorse the demand for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the ST list.
The demand for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the ST list should not be an issue of the STDCM only but needs to be made as a public issue of the state, Joykishan observed.
Terming the demand of STDCM a “protracted” and “most reasonable one” for protection of Meitei/Meetei, Joykishan recounted that he, being a legislator” had already raised the issue in the Manipur legislative Assembly and highlighted his stance on the issue before STDCM submitted the memorandum to him on Sunday.
Stating that the protest is often neglected, the MLA suggested for launching a door to door awareness campaign to seek public views on the issue.
He assured that he would put forward the issue to the concerned Authority.
