It is a known fact that, before the merger of the erstwhile kingdom Manipur, to the Indian Union in 15 October, 1949, after the signing of the controversial merger agreement with the dominant of India in September 21, 1949, Manipur was then a sovereign nation having its own constitution. It is also a fact that meitei are the majority community and since the time there were many small communities whose status was not that good as compare with the then ruling community. These whole of the smaller ethnic communities are really backward that the state has to give some kind of status to improve their situation to compete with the major community.
But after Manipur was merged to the dominion of India (or say annexation) the so call majority meitei become a mere minority group when compare with those of the people of the mainland Indian community. Being an erstwhile kingdom with organised set up all the administration the meiteis are somewhat superior. But the influx of the illegal or legal migrants from the mainland has given a threat to this people.
When the valley region which is a home of all the Manipuri communities has been dominated by these so called illegal or legal migrants, there is definitely a threat to the cultural, social and economic condition of the state as a whole. It is considered that if the identity of meitei is protected all the other Manipuri communities like those under the Kuki, Naga, Zou, Paite, Hmar, Meitei Pangal can be protected.
Surprisingly the issue which should be supported by whole community has been somehow distorted with the idea of converting the whole meitei into ST status. This idea may be easy process but, the idea will definitely sabotage the healthy relationship between the meitei and other ST communities. It is to be reminded only few among this STs have managed to come up but 95 percent of the STs need to be supported. Let the ST issue be never brought up at this crucial hour or people need to think why the matter which may incite anger between the ST people and meitei community should be raise. There is also scepticism to the part of those demanding and ST status to get ILP status in the state.
