IT News
Imphal, Jan 3:
The Zeliangrong Civil Organizations (ZCOs) comprised of ZeliangrongBaudi, Zeliangrong Youth Front and Zeliangrong Students’ Union being the civil body representing the interest and sentiment of the Zeliangrong community, which is the largest tribal group in the North Eastern Region of the country has appealed the Manipur State Govt. to be tactful regarding the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Meitei community for inclusion of Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe list of India which, the ZCOs says that it is a matter of great concern for the tribal people of Manipur who have been deprived of their rights despite the fact of certain Constitutional protection and safeguards provided in the Constitution.
A statement by the Media and Publicity Cell of the Zeliangrong civil organisations (ZCOs) said that in a State like Manipur where different communities have been settled for ages, it would be wise for every community to respect and honor the due shares of others. Trying to trample upon another by way of adopting dominant policy may lead to further spoil the already strain relationship between the tribal and the non tribal people of the State, the statement said.
It added that the State had formulated a 100 point roster reservation policy with 31 percent reservation for tribal people at the time of job recruitment under the State Govt. But the successive govt. failed to implement as per the reservation policy thereby rendered the tribal people less representation in different departments. While this is one of the discontentment feelings of the tribal people of the State, the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee spearheaded by highly educated, influenced and economically much advanced group for inclusion of Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe category can be considered as an attempt to render the tribal people more suffering and more deprivation in the days to come. There are various social and political issues of different groups of Manipur which has been lying unsolved for decades, therefore, social unrest cannot be ruled out if recommendation is made by the State Govt. for the Meitei community who are in all respects highly advanced group of Manipur State for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe list. The State Govt. without considering the sentiment of the people of the entire State of Manipur but if succumbs to the pressure of the dominant group may lead to chaos and social unrest in the State. The tribal people have been silently observing the situation hence time may come where different groups of the State may resorted to any available means in order to make their discontentment heard.
The only assets of the tribal people of Manipur State are their ancestral land and the representation of the tribal people in the employment sector is only through Scheduled Tribe reservation policy. But their land is now threatened and their representation in the employment is going to be deprived therefore apprehension and insecurity feeling is high on their minds due to Meitei community started demanding for inclusion of Meitei community in the Scheduled tribe category. Meitei community of Manipur enjoys different reservation categories such as SC, OBC and treated the unreserved category as their exclusive quota in most cases. The presence of tribal people in the employment sector is seen only because of the Scheduled Tribe reservation policy.
If the Scheduled Tribe reservation policy is diluted by way of granting Scheduled Tribe category to Meitei community who are highly educated, highly influenced and economically advanced group, the chance of tribal people participation and their representation in the employment sector may be on exceptional case and even the reservation Assembly Constituency seats of the hills districts may be contested by Meitei candidates.
The present arrangement of Manipur State which laid parameter and categorized between the tribal and non tribal people in terms of land holding ownerships and reservation in employment sector has put together the different communities to live together thus far.
The Zeliangrong Civil Organizations in the interest of the people of the State urged the State Govt. not to take any hasty decision regarding the Scheduled Tribe demands issue just to please the interest of the single group without taking into account the view and opinion of every community who are the stake holders of the issue.
