Manipur ‘considering’ ST status for Meiteis

Why in news?

• Replying to a calling attention motion, Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh told the there are positive consideration to the demand for the inclusion of Meiteis, a non-tribal indigenous community, in the Scheduled Tribes list.
• The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee has been resorting to various forms of agitations in the State, demanding ST status for the Meiteis.

About Meiteis: –

• The Meitei (also Meetei, Meithei, Manipuri) people are the majority ethnic group of Manipur.
• Meitei is an autonym while Manipuri is an exonym. They primarily settle in the central plain region of Manipur.
• A significant population of the Meitei is settled in domestic neighboring states such as Assam, Meghalaya and Tripura. They have also settled in Bangladesh and Myanmar.
• The Meitei people are made up of seven major clans, known as Salai Taret. Their written history has been documented to 1445 BC.

Demography of Manipur: –

• The Meitei (synonymous to Manipuri) constitute the majority of the state’s population. In 1901, the Meitei were recorded as the main ethnicity of Manipur. They live primarily in the state’s valley region.
• Kukis and Nagas are the major tribe conglomerates. The Nagas in Manipur are further sub-divided into sub-tribes: Tangkhul, Maram, Poumai, Angami, Chakhesang, Liangmai, Rongmei, Zeme, and Mao.
• The official languages are Meitei language and English.The term Meitei includes Sanamahis, Christians, Hindus and Manipuri Brahmins (locally called “Meetei Bamons”).
• The Meitei language (or Manipuri) is the lingua franca in Manipur and is one of the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

(National, Demography)(The hindu)

Pic courtesy:The Sangai Express