The deafening silence of the 20 tribal MLAs on the matter for many months when their Meitei counterparts have come out openly is raising lots of questions, the ATSUM stated.
A sit-in protest was held at Khurai Puthiba Leikai followed by a rally along the stretch of Imphal-Ukhrul road, demanding ST status for Meetei community in Manipur.
Meetei community regretted putting the case of ‘Meetei tribe’ in the General category after Manipur being merged to the Union of India, says MTU secretary (adm) M Churamani.
The government has been giving false promises that the Meetei/Meitei will be enlisted under Scheduled Tribe (ST) and be given protection, said RK Ongbi Tombisana Devi, co-convenor of STDCM, Bishnupur branch.