A public meeting was held at Salungpham in Thoubal district under the central theme, “Granting ST Status is the Only Way to Protect Our Land and Future.” The programme was organised by the Manipur unit of the World Meetei Council (WMC). Speaking at the meeting, WMC Manipur Unit President Urikhimbam Kunjo stated that the Meetei community should be included in the Scheduled Tribe list under Article 342(1) of the Indian Constitution. He warned that if this is not done, the Meetei population could face serious demographic challenges in the coming years. He further said that the land inhabited by Meitei, Meitei-Pangal and hill communities together constitutes only about 6.5 percent of Manipur’s total geographical area. He stressed the urgent need to safeguard this limited land for the future generations. He alleged that people from other states are gradually settling in the region, and if this trend continues unchecked, the indigenous population may face difficulties in the near future. According to him, inclusion in the ST list is the only viable solution to prevent such a situation.
Kunjo also cited Jiribam as an example, claiming that migrants have significantly altered the demographic composition there. He said migrants now occupy positions ranging from Pradhan and Parishad members to MLAs and are increasingly acquiring land and engaging in business activities. He alleged that the Meetei population in Jiribam has already become a minority. He further expressed concern over land transactions in parts of Imphal Valley, particularly in northern Imphal areas, where he claimed that businessmen from outside the state are occupying large tracts of land. He warned that without proper safeguards, the Meetei community could face further marginalization. While acknowledging measures such as NRC and border fencing, he stated that these steps alone are not sufficient to address the longstanding concerns of the Meetei people. He said that without constitutional protection, the community may face challenges in land ownership, employment opportunities and political representation. He asserted that inclusion in the ST list remains the only effective solution.
He also mentioned that the State Government has to send two reports sought by the Centre regarding the Meetei ST demand—an ethnography report and a latest socio-economic report—and expressed hope that these would help secure constitutional protection for the community. The World Meetei Council, he said, is a global platform of Meeteis residing across different parts of the world and is non-political and non-religious in nature. He clarified that WMC was not formed solely for the ST demand, but in the past three to four years, it has intensified efforts to press for inclusion of the Meetei community in the ST list. The meeting was attended by WMC Chairman Heikrujam Nabashyam, other office bearers, members of Meira Paibi groups and local residents.
