FROM THE feedbacks received an impression appears to be created that Ngaranmi Shimray is opposing the Scheduled Tribe (ST) demand for the Meitei community. This is incorrect. No one is opposing the demand of the Meitei community to become a tribe and also to be given the status of Scheduled Tribe. The only thing that is being pointed out are the ‘context of time’ and ‘need to follow transparent processes’ to justify the demand.
What has been stated in the articles, including those in response to Secretary, STDCM and three independent researchers, is that the Meiteis may have been a tribe 300 years back, but now with the passage of three centuries the Meiteis may have shed all or some of its tribal traits and may not be possessing the requisite tribal traits to be called a tribe anymore, and hence a new ethnographic study is required to support their claim. Further, the ST demand is to be based on the strength of a recent (new) socio-economic survey to find out the extend of backwardness of the Meiteis. The need to carry out both the study and survey have already been pointed out by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India in their letter dated 29.5.2013.
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Further, what is being emphasised through various articles is that the Meitei masses seem to be given half-truth by the leaders and ST demand committee. They need to be told the entire story that the Meiteis may have been tribes 3 centuries back and as 300 years have gone by much development, social & educational attainments have taken place in the Meitei society and there may be a need now to establish whether the Meiteis can be still termed as a tribe today, and hence a recent ethnographic study is required. Also the claim for ST status by Meiteis has to be backed by answering the backwardness criteria laid down by the Lokur Committee and this can only be done by a new socio-economic survey. Only after credible and transparent new study and new survey reports are available and are deliberated upon by all stakeholders, including the current ST of Manipur, a conclusion can be made by the state government, after consideration by the Hill Areas Committee, to consider the next step.
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No one is opposing the demand but are only raising doubts on the approach of the ST demand based on past historical records and current pressure tactics of the Meitei ST demand committee. Any sheer majority force tactic for the ST demand would only antagonise the tribes and widen the schism between the tribals and non-tribals and has the potential to suck in the Naga tribes and transform the conflict into non-tribal vs tribal conflict. The main thrust of the articles were to impress upon the Meitei ST demand leaders to ask the state government to carry out credible and transparent processes and not use pressure tactics through the courts, subterfuge, corrupt methods on the state government to recommend the demand to be ST through sheer majority force. The ST demand leaders should know that no one will oppose an ethnographic study and socio-economic survey if it is carried out in a credible and transparent manner after due consultation.
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There is another aspect why the demand of the Meitei community to be ST is viewed with suspicion by the current STs of Manipur. It is because some Meitei MLAs and other social workers have stated without ambiguity that, apart from the desire to secure more all India jobs through the ST status, the primary driving force behind the ST demand is to possess tribal lands in the “Hill Areas” of Manipur by becoming one of them. This objective of the Meitei leaders is disturbing and unsettling. No tribe will sit back and watch their land being alienated. The purpose of the articles were also to educate the valley people of Manipur that the tribals are aware of the hidden agenda and at the same time urge the tribals to be vigilant and to be aware of trickery. Considering the repeated refusal of the Manipur government to concede to the reasonable demand for an empowered district council for the “Hill Areas” by amendment of existing Act/Bill or for inclusion in the Sixth Scheduled plus the attempt of a political leader of Manipur (Union Minister of state) proposing to modify Article 371-C which provides safeguards for the “Hill Areas” of Manipur but may not protect the “Hill Areas” from land alienation in case the Meiteis become ST, the only option that may be left to the hill people of Manipur would be to ask for a separate State or UT to escape from the possibility of losing their lands to the dominant Meitei community.
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The Meitei community needs to realise that the current approach of sheer majority force to meet the ST demand proposal is only pushing the tribes of Manipur away to a “point of no return” and may sow the seeds of dis-integration of Manipur. This was highlighted in some of the articles as this option for demand on a new political entity for the “Hill Areas” would be one of the strategic move available for the tribals in the “Hill Areas” of Manipur to permanently remove themselves from Meitei hegemonic attempts. In other words, if the “Hill Areas” of Manipur are not part of the state, there will be no effects of laws, rules and regulations on land, Manipuri language/Meitei mayek, cultural hegemony, Meitei ST status (if given) on tribal lands and jobs/seats of Manipur on the tribals. Under a new state/UT the tribes will be insulated from all the domineering attitudes of the dominant community.
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This is to urge all sensible Meitei leaders who endorse the slogan of “Manipur integrity cannot be disturbed” to think on the lines of having a new ethnographic study and a new socio-economic survey conducted to establish their claim of being a tribe and also to justify their claim for inclusion in the list of ST by following a credible and transparent process. Not doing so will only reinforce the suspicion amongst the tribes of Manipur that the Meitei ST demand leaders are bent on getting the ST tag “by hook or by crook” and compel the tribes to think of alternatives to safeguard themselves.
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Ngaranmi Shimray is an activist and political observer based in New Delhi. Views are personal. Shimray2011@gmail.com.
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