Meetei ST demand enjoys overwhelming public support, says World Meetei Council

The World Meetei Council (WMC) has asserted that the demand for granting Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Meetei community enjoys overwhelming support across Manipur, rejecting recent remarks by former United National Liberation Front (UNLF) chairman RK Meghen (Sanayaima), who reportedly described the issue as being supported only by "a section" of the community.

In a press release issued on July 11, the WMC said the demand for inclusion of the Meetei community in the Scheduled Tribe list has consistently received widespread backing through awareness campaigns, mass rallies and public mobilisation over the years.

According to the organisation, activists of the Meetei ST movement conducted awareness campaigns across all Meetei-inhabited villages and localities in Manipur, where they claimed the demand received unanimous support.

The council also cited a statewide "Mass Missed Call Campaign" organised in 2024, during which it claimed to have collected nearly 10 lakh signatures in support of the ST demand from an estimated Meetei population of around 15 lakh. Excluding children, who were not eligible to participate, the WMC said the campaign reflected support from an overwhelming majority of the adult Meetei population.

The organisation further referred to the 2015 rally organised by the Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur (STDCM), claiming that around 1.5 lakh people had gathered in Imphal to press for Scheduled Tribe status, describing it as evidence of sustained public backing for the constitutional demand.

Responding to RK Meghen's recent video statement, the WMC accused the former insurgent leader of making "blatant lies" and said his claim that the demand was not a serious issue was contrary to years of documented public mobilisation.

While acknowledging that every individual has the right to express personal opinions, the council said public discourse should be based on facts and not misinformation.

The WMC also maintained that the demand for ST status is a constitutional right and should not be treated as an issue to be negotiated between communities. It argued that the Meetei population in India, estimated at around 17 lakh, is smaller than the Kuki-Zo and Naga populations, and therefore deserves constitutional safeguards.

Referring to the Supreme Court's August 1, 2024 judgment by a seven-judge Constitution Bench on sub-classification within reserved categories, the council urged the Centre and state governments to implement the ruling without delay. It said tribal communities should collectively press for the implementation of the verdict rather than oppose the aspirations of other communities.

The WMC concluded by appealing to all stakeholders to engage in responsible and fact-based discussions while respecting the aspirations of the Meetei people. It reiterated its willingness to participate in constructive dialogue on the issue.