The BJP is in a spot in poll-bound Manipur over the demand for tribe status for Meiteis, the majority general community in the state. The Meiteis claim that they have been
witnessing a sharp decline in numbers due to poor socio-economic conditions, change in the demography and constitutional divide amongst ethnic, indigenous communities living in the state.
The demand for inclusion of Meitei (Manipuri) in the list of Scheduled Tribes to enable constitutional protection for the community has landed at the doorstep of the Union home ministry with an 18-hour shut down imposed in the state on Wednesday.
Heigrujam Nabashyam, chairman of World Meitei Council (WMC), said in 1971, Meitei contributed 66 per cent of the total population of Manipur, but as per 2011 census data, it has now been reduced to 51 per cent.
''We fear the numbers will further go down in the 2022 census. The shrinkage on the population growth is a matter of serious concern, and Meitei requires ST status and constitutional protection to bring them back into the path of survival.”
Recognising the demand of the Meitei community can stir a hornet's
nest for the Biren Singh government in Manipur which is looking for a simple majority in the assembly elections this time. The party, which has been plagued by coalition woes during its tenure, is looking to come to power on its own. While Singh is a Meitei himself, his government has support of members from various tribal communities like Kukis. The Kukis and Nagas are the other dominant tribes in Manipur and any move to please the Meitei can upset them.
Government sources said even though the MHA has maintained a stoic silence on the demand so far, the party's support to the majority community has been assured. ''When the time comes, the demands of the Meiteis will certainly be looked into. It is a matter of concern,'' said a government official.
Security officials said the influx of refugees from Myanmar and the porous border has caused the demographic change, which, if left unaddressed, can cause further trouble. Biren Singh has assured that if his party comes back to power, he will stop the Free Movement Regime (FMR) on the 398km-long Manipur-Myanmar border. Stopping the FMR has been touted by intelligence agencies as the permanent solution to stop illegal immigration and also cross border smuggling of arms and drugs.
However, before that, the BJP government in the state may have to cross the first hurdle before polls by clarifying its stand on the socio-economic status of the majority community, whether its numbers are being impacted by the demographic change and the need, if any, to grant ST status for Meiteis.
The fresh row began after the Meiteis sought to know whether the Manipur government had sent its recommendation along with ethnography and socio-economic survey report to the Centre for consideration of the demand. On May 29, 2013, the Union tribal affairs ministry had sent instructions to the Manipur government to forward the recommendation along with the survey report.
However, no action has been taken by the state government, said Nabakishore Yumnam, national spokesperson of the WMC.
He said the shutdown has been imposed after the state government failed to send these reports.
''We are not asking the government to clarify its position on ST status immediately. But we want that the reports should be sent to the Centre.''
Sources said Meiteis residing in other northeast states like Assam and Arunachal Pradesh also supported the bandh while the shutdown had little impact in the hill areas of Manipur, dominated by the Nagas and other groups.
Nonetheless, fresh signs of unrest and protests in Manipur are a worry for the home ministry which has been plagued by violent incidents in other northeastern states in the past few months. In Nagaland, the impatience of the insurgent groups like NSCN(IM) and NSCN(k) over the inconclusive peace talks is visible while the Assam-Meghalaya border clashes brought more unrest in the region. The December killings of civilians by security forces in Mon district of Nagaland and the killing of Assam Rifles Commanding officer and his family by alleged People's Liberation Army militants in Manipur in November are grim reminders of the violence and killings prompted by struggles and uprisings in the northeastern states.
