Northeast Desk, 2nd August: The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM) has rejected Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s assertion that the root cause of the state’s ongoing crisis is the Manipur High Court’s March 27, 2023, order regarding the indigenous Meitei/Meetei Tribe’s Scheduled Tribe (ST) status demand.
In a statement released on August 1, K Bhogendrahit, General Secretary of the STDCM, contended that Singh’s recent comments diverge from earlier claims identifying other factors as the primary causes of the crisis. These included illegal immigration, eviction of encroachment on Reserved and Protected forests, and a crackdown on drugs.
The STDCM noted that the crisis, which erupted on May 3, 2023, coincided with the All Tribal Students’ Union, Manipur’s (ATSUM) Peace Tribal Solidarity March protesting against the High Court’s order. However, they pointed out that the violence predominantly affected areas with a significant Kuki and allied tribal presence, such as Churachandpur, Moreh, and Kangpokpi.
The committee argued that if the Meitei/Meetei’s ST status demand were the true catalyst for the violence, similar unrest should have occurred in non-Kuki tribal regions as well. “It is evident from ground and media reports that violence broke out mainly in Kuki-dominated areas. If the ST status demand was the core issue, other non-Kuki areas would have been affected,” the STDCM’s release stated.
The STDCM has urged the Chief Minister to retract his statement, expressing concern that such claims could mislead the public and contribute to misinformation. They highlighted the persistent spread of fake news and misinformation during the crisis, calling for a correction to avoid further narrative diversion by vested interests.
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