The World Meetei Council (WMC) has claimed that the demand for granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Meetei community enjoys widespread public support across Manipur, rejecting recent remarks attributed to former United National Liberation Front (UNLF) chairman RK Meghen (Sanayaima), who reportedly said the issue was backed only by “a section” of the community.In a press release issued on Friday, the council said the demand for inclusion of the Meetei community in the Scheduled Tribe list has received consistent public support through awareness campaigns, rallies and other forms of public mobilisation over the years.According to the WMC, campaigners associated with the Meetei ST movement conducted awareness programmes across Meetei-inhabited villages and localities in the state, where they claimed the proposal received unanimous support from residents.The organisation also referred to a statewide “Mass Missed Call Campaign” held in 2024, claiming that nearly 10 lakh signatures were collected in support of the ST demand from an estimated Meetei population of around 15 lakh. Excluding children who were not eligible to participate, the council said the campaign reflected support from a large majority of the adult Meetei population.
The WMC further cited a rally organised by the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) in 2015, claiming that around 1.5 lakh people participated in the gathering in Imphal to press for Scheduled Tribe status. It described the event as evidence of sustained public backing for the demand.Responding to RK Meghen’s recent video statement, the council alleged that his remarks did not reflect the ground situation and claimed that his assertion that the demand was not a serious issue was inconsistent with years of public mobilisation. While acknowledging that individuals are entitled to express their opinions, the organisation said public discussions on the issue should be based on facts.The WMC maintained that the demand for Scheduled Tribe status is a constitutional issue and should not be viewed as a matter to be negotiated between different communities. It further argued that constitutional safeguards were necessary for the Meetei community and cited demographic considerations in support of its position. Referring to the Supreme Court’s Constitution Bench judgment delivered on August 1, 2024, concerning sub-classification within reserved categories, the council urged both the Centre and the Manipur government to implement the ruling without delay. It also appealed to tribal communities to work collectively for the implementation of the judgment rather than oppose the aspirations of other communities.
Reiterating its stand, the World Meetei Council said it remained willing to participate in constructive dialogue and appealed to all stakeholders to ensure that discussions on the issue are conducted in a responsible and fact-based manner.
