Delhi: The World Meetei Council (WMC), also said to be known as Global Meetei Foundation in a press release on Monday invited the All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur (ATSUM) to a dialogue to find a logical conclusion to the objection the State tribal body has raised in regard to the demand of Scheduled Tribe status for the Meetei in Manipur state.
As per the release, WMC said that Meetei according to their “mythology are “Salai Taret”, seven clan or seven big families born by a single Godhead Ebudhou Pakhangba though they are cut into two pieces by the Indian Constitution into Meetei General and Meetei Schedule Caste.”
WMC termed the division of Meetei General and Meetei Schedule Caste a great injustice done to the Meetei, stating that it would have opposed the implementation of the SC and General status and further added that it should be corrected. “All Meetei should be one – no OBC, no SC only Scheduled Tribe,” it maintained.
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WMC pointed out that a “series of debates on the same matter took place between ATSUM and Mr. Heikrujam Nabashyam, Chairman of WMC way back in October – November, 2017, in his personal capacity. The debates was carried by “The Sangai Express” and also by news portals including E-pao.net, etc. One can check out the debates by typing/googling “Know the Meetei”, “The threat to Balkanize Manipur” etc along with “Heikrujam Nabashyam”. WMC sincerely believe that any sensible person would understand what was all that the ATSUM was talking about.”
It further added, “WMC feel that the ATSUM was emboldened by a few Meetei intellectuals/leaders who, to protect their own world vision spoke against Meetei ST demand. They do help the ATSUM in creating an unhealthy social atmosphere to intimidate the Manipur government to follow the wishes of ATSUM in this regard.”
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While WMC said that Meetei cannot be rightful citizens in Manipur after it became part of India, it maintained that “91% of the state of Manipur is being kept away from the native Meetei people by the law of the land, and whereas people who came from Myanmar illegally few years back would become rightful citizens.”
“Another point that one may easily understand including ATSUM is that more than 90% of economy
in the Imphal Bazar area – both movable and immovable assets belong to business communities. If
the Meetei people are truly advanced as ATSUM repeatedly praise the Meetei, the place that the
business community occupy today should belong to the Advanced Meetei people,” said the release by WMC.
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