Centre asks Manipur government to study delisting Kukis, Zomis from ST list

Guwahati: In a move that could have far-reaching consequences, the Manipur state government has been asked by the Central government to examine a representation seeking deletion of the “Nomadic Chin-Kuki” from the list of Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Manipur.

This was communicated by the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry which said a representation seeking delisting was made by Maheshwar Thounaojam, National Secretary of the Republican Party of India (Athawale), who is based in Imphal.

The entire state of Manipur has been reeling under ethnic conflict for the last eight months and the primary reason for the start of the conflict was a March 19 order by the Manipur High Court, which directed the state government to send a recommendation on ST status for Meiteis to the Central government, upsetting existing STs in the state.

There have been numerous representations from various Meitei groups as well as Meitei Pangals (Meitei Muslims) to be included in the ST list.

This is the first representation where a case is being made that Meiteis get ST status by excluding Kuki and Zomi tribes from the list.

The primary reasoning for this claim is that they are not indigenous to the land.

Thounaojam in his representation has claimed that the addition of a few entries in Manipur’s ST list over the years — such as “Any Mizo (Lushai) tribes”, “Zou”, and “Any Kuki tribes” — is objectionable.

He argues that because these entries did not specify the tribe names, they provided room for illegal immigrants and refugees from Myanmar, Bangladesh and other Indian States to settle in Manipur and claim ST status.

The representation said that “Any Kuki tribes” were introduced to the ST list during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 2003.

“As the particular names of tribes to be covered under the tribe name ‘Any Kuki Tribes’ are not specified, there is clandestine room for enrolment in ST list of people disguised as Kukis whether refugees or illegal immigrants from foreign countries and other states who are not citizens of Manipur by birth,” Thounaojam’s representation said.