Imphal, August 19: Amidst Manipur bandh called against the arrest of JCILPS former convenor Kh Ratan, who had been announced as wanted by State Home department, the Coordinating Body on Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee (CBSTDC) has continued their relay sit-in-fast/ hunger strike at Wall Club Ground, Wangkhei Angom Leikai here today.
Speaking to Imphal Times, Mutum Churamani, Convenor of CBSTDC said that as part of the ongoing demand for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the list of ST category the body will be continuing their relay 12-hours-sit-in-fast till 31 August 2016 at the ground along with different like minded people and groups, besides organizing public meetings at different locations.
Reiterating the resolutions made during the Public Meeting regarding the inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the ST category which was held at Iboyaima Shumang Leela Shanglen on May 22, 2016, Churamani said demanded that Manipur government should take a decision during the upcoming state legislative assembly session and recommend the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to include Meitei/Meetei in the scheduled list of 432 (1) of the Constitution of India.
Since the day one of the demand for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the ST list, the CBSTDC has been resorting to only democratic forms of agitations. The body would also organize a mass public rally on 18 September 2016 in the state capital city. Even if, the state government failed to comply with the demands of the ST demand body, it would be compelled to launch various severe forms of protest demonstration including fast-unto-death, Churamani said, while informing that a team of 10 people about 80 years old is ready to undergo fast-unto-death.
While observing that in Manipur democratic movement of the people seems to have no room, the Convenor of CBSTDC appealed the state government to do its part for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in ST list before the present ST demand turns hostile.
