ST Demand Issue: Positive discrimination, affirmative action and the cracks within

India’s reservation policy has spawned forms of conflicting categories of the ‘exploiter’ and the ‘exploited’, the ‘dominant’ and the ‘subservient’ as if these binaries exist in a permanent cycle sans the dynamics of wresting political power at play. By Dhiren A. Sadokpam In recent times, the political elites of three primary ethnic groups in Manipur […]

The post ST Demand Issue: Positive discrimination, affirmative action and the cracks within first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.

India’s reservation policy has spawned forms of conflicting categories of the ‘exploiter’ and the ‘exploited’, the ‘dominant’ and the ‘subservient’ as if these binaries exist in a permanent cycle sans the dynamics of wresting political power at play.

By Dhiren A. Sadokpam

In recent times, the political elites of three primary ethnic groups in Manipur are caught in a whirlpool of anxiety propelled by palpable dissonance in political objectives. This anxiety is not necessarily triggered by the differences in speculative autonomy-demands or even demands based on administrative separatism.

The main anxiety has been caused by the way how the communities have effectively understood the political ideas behind positive discrimination, affirmative action or what in the Indian subcontinent is being referred to as the reservation policy of communities that have apparently lagged behind in holistic development. The most recent play-out that has triggered the spells of anxiety and tension has been the demand of a community considered advanced in comparison to its neighbours, to be included in the Scheduled List of Tribes in India.

While the proponents of the demand and those opposing the same have resorted to socio-political and historical reasoning, both the parties seem to have skipped re-looking at either redefining or refining the concepts they would love to toy with. One is not sure if both the conflicting parties have understood that India’s reservation policy presupposes a social fact – centuries of oppression of one group by another. This presupposition assumes a determinate but constant ‘unchanging oppressor and oppressed’ and ‘advanced’ and ‘backward’ communities. The ‘constant’ is supposedly created by a social order that determined identities of each castes, communities and tribes. This has spawned forms of conflicting categories of the ‘exploiter’ and the ‘exploited’, the ‘dominant’ and the ‘subservient’ as if these binaries exist in a permanent cycle in all societies sans the dynamics of wresting political power at play.

For the mainland India, these terms are defined in relation to the hereditary caste order whereas for Northeast India, the same has been defined by amorphous understandings of communities guided by colonial agenda of the British whose administrators first chose to categorize people from the mixed-prism of the caste order or an anthropological understanding of a system which they considered was durable.

It is against this backdrop that United Naga Council, Manipur (UNC) and the Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) have raised objections to the Manipur High Court’s directive to the Government of Manipur to send its recommendation for the inclusion of Meetei Community in the list of Scheduled list of Tribes to the Government of India. The directive of the high court was passed on March 27.

Strident Voices and Social Tension

The UNC stated that “the Meitei/Meetei community of Manipur is an advanced community of India” with their language, Manipuri (Meiteilon) listed in the Eight Schedule to the constitution of India.

“They are already protected under Constitution of India and categorized as (i) General (ii) Other Backward Classes (OBC) and (iii) Schedule Caste (SC),” said the UNC.

UNC termed it irrational that the High Court of Manipur directed the Government of Manipur to recommend for inclusion of Meitei/Meetei community in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) list of India, “negating the sole objective of scheduling group of people for protective discrimination as ST in the Constitution of India”. The Naga body has strongly condemned and called the high court order “inane” for making “such imbecilic recommendation despite strong opposition from Scheduled tribes of the state”.

The common refrain and rationale behind the objections raised by both UNC and KIM has been rubbished by the proponents of those demanding a Scheduled Tribe status for the Meetei community. One strident voice has been that of the Kangleipak Kanba Lup (KKL). KKL has critiqued the objections in their own characteristic way stating that the demand for the inclusion of Meetei in the Scheduled list of Tribes in the Constitution of India is not aimed at grabbing “jobs” either from the Naga or Kuki communities of Manipur. It has asserted that the demand is based on safeguarding their “little bit of land” now confined to less than 2000 square kilometers out of the 20,000 square kilometers of the entire state of Manipur.

The KKL has made it clear that the Naga and the Kuki communities need not fear about grabbing “their job reservation quotas currently enforced in Manipur which will remain status quo”. The organization also unequivocally asserted that the UNC and KIM have “no birth right” to deny any other scheduled tribes of India that job opportunity.

The KKL had a message for the UNC too. It reiterated that the Manipuri Language being classified as scheduled languages of India under the Eight Schedule has nothing to do with the classification of the Meetei as a scheduled tribe of India. “Anyway Manipuri language is not confined to the Meeteis only but serves as a Lingua Franca amongst all the tribal communities of Manipur be it between the Nagas and the Kukis but amongst their various sub-tribes also”, it pointed out.

Moreover, the UNC has also been reminded that it was Th Muivah, the top National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM) leader who had stated that “only the Nagas and the Meeteis are the indigenous peoples” of Manipur. KKL asked, “So what is the idea of joining hands with the Kukis to block the way for the survival of the Meeteis under the Indian Constitution”. To the question of Meeteis being more advanced than the other tribes of Manipur, KKL asserted that it has nothing to do with genealogy but “mode of production” experienced by the communities.

The Meetei community began to practice settled agriculture and had more time to concentrate on arts, culture and literature while the hill tribes hitherto used to follow a different form of agriculture “before switching to poppy plantation” in recent times that had made them “all become rich”, said KKL.

The organization winded up their statement on a harsher note stating that it would be wrong on the part of both the Naga and the Kuki communities to consider the Meetei community as their “common enemy or else will be constrained to  oppose every move or demand made by any tribal group either Naga or Kuki”.

The exchange of statements may not lead towards a reconciliation on the sensitive topic. As the articulation of the issue by those supporting the demand for inclusion of Meetei in Scheduled Tribe list up the ante on their movement, the objections by Naga and Kuki tribal bodies may get shriller by the day.

Empowerment and Social Justice

In all these voices, what has been missed is a dispassionate inter-community/ethnic group deliberation on what would be the best option for all communities to progress and under what protective or empowering mechanism. While the fact of discrimination cannot be denied in one’s everyday experience, ethnicization or communalization of the issue would only create unbridgeable distance between communities. Under such circumstances, one will not be able to project the fact that there are no permanent oppressor and permanent oppressed or instil the fact that the idea of permanent and constant binaries will lead to over-generalization of a theoretical framework to achieve quick practical results.

What is of utmost importance now is truly and honestly grasping the fact that emancipating the socially underprivileged and the marginalized irrespective of community or tribal affiliation or within the same community is a move towards social justice. While doing so, one should not forget that the idea of empowerment of the individual has a far greater value and virtue than a protective mechanism that tends to perpetuate redundant binaries or historical contradictions.

Here, it should also be noted that India’s reservation policy emerged out of a deep flaw in understanding the complex relationship between the conceptions of the ‘cultural/social’ and the ‘economic’. Having said this, elsewhere, this writer had also argued that the stereotyping of the Meetei as a Hindu society both within Manipur and outside, in the image of mainland Hindu ethos and practices has manufactured the idea of the ‘constant exploiter’ and the ‘constant exploited’ in Manipur.

While Hinduised Meeteis have been identified with the former, all other non-Hindu communities are shown as ‘exploited’. Such is the handiwork of those who harp on the ‘politics of divide’ and benefit from it; and endorsed by the ‘ignorant other’ who is happy to own up anything that comes closer to the intolerant and imagined pan-Indian vision.

(Dhiren A. Sadokpam is Editor-in-Chief, The Frontier Manipur. This article was first published by EastMojo under the title ‘ST demand for Meetei: First, acknowledge the cracks within’)

 

The post ST Demand Issue: Positive discrimination, affirmative action and the cracks within first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.

Read more / Original news source: https://thefrontiermanipur.com/st-demand-issue-positive-discrimination-affirmative-action-and-the-cracks-within/

STDCM NA THAGATCHABA AMADI TOUBIMAL KHANGBA UTCHARI

STDCM (Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur) na Meitei/meetei bu indian constitution gi article 342(1) gi makhada Scheduled Tribe oina sak khangbinaba Govt of India da 2013 da thakhiba wakat amagi paokhum oiona Govt of Manipur na 1. latest socio economy report of Meitei amadi 2. Ethnography report of Meitei Manipur Govt na recommendation amalouduna tharaknaba […]

STDCM (Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur) na Meitei/meetei bu indian constitution gi article 342(1) gi makhada Scheduled Tribe oina sak khangbinaba Govt of India da 2013 da thakhiba wakat amagi paokhum oiona Govt of Manipur na 1. latest socio economy report of Meitei amadi 2. Ethnography report of Meitei Manipur Govt na recommendation amalouduna tharaknaba […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2017/09/stdcm-na-thagatchaba-amadi-toubimal-khangba-utchari/

Memorandum submitted to the President of India

Hijam Rajendra Singha, who is the National General Secretary and In-Charge of North East India of the Rashtriya Janhit Sangharsh Party , submitted a memorandum to the President of India, requesting to include Meitei/Meetei Community in the list of the Scheduled Tribe under Article 342(1) of the Indian Constitution. The memorandum was submitted on behalf […]

Hijam Rajendra Singha, who is the National General Secretary and In-Charge of North East India of the Rashtriya Janhit Sangharsh Party , submitted a memorandum to the President of India, requesting to include Meitei/Meetei Community in the list of the Scheduled Tribe under Article 342(1) of the Indian Constitution. The memorandum was submitted on behalf […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2017/09/memorandum-submitted-to-the-president-of-india/

Oct 20 deadline set for State Govt to submit recommendation to include Meiteis in ST list .

Constitutional protection need of the hour : STDCM Imphal, September 24 2017: The movement for the inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the Scheduled Tribe list of India has intensified with today’s public convention setting a deadline to the State Government of Manipur to submit its (State Government) recommendation to the Central Government. As per the resolution […]

Constitutional protection need of the hour : STDCM Imphal, September 24 2017: The movement for the inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the Scheduled Tribe list of India has intensified with today’s public convention setting a deadline to the State Government of Manipur to submit its (State Government) recommendation to the Central Government. As per the resolution […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2017/09/oct-20-deadline-set-for-state-govt-to-submit-recommendation-to-include-meiteis-in-st-list/

Sit-in-Protest on “MEETEI DEMAND OF SCHEDULED TRIBE” at JANTAR MANTAR, Delhi

Hijam Rajendra Singha, on behalf of Brave Foundation and Committee of Scheduled Tribe Demand will conduct a sit-in protest on “MEETEI DEMAND OF SCHEDULED TRIBE” at JANTAR MANTAR, Delhi with my supporters on 24/09/2017 Morning 10 AM-02 PM. A large number of Meetei is in favour of MEETEI ST DEMAND under Article 342(1) of Indian […]

Hijam Rajendra Singha, on behalf of Brave Foundation and Committee of Scheduled Tribe Demand will conduct a sit-in protest on “MEETEI DEMAND OF SCHEDULED TRIBE” at JANTAR MANTAR, Delhi with my supporters on 24/09/2017 Morning 10 AM-02 PM. A large number of Meetei is in favour of MEETEI ST DEMAND under Article 342(1) of Indian […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2017/09/sit-in-protest-on-meetei-demand-of-scheduled-tribe-at-jantar-mantar-delhi/

TWO DAYS OPEN DISCUSSION/SEMINAR TO UNITE & STRENGTHENING SC/ST/OBC/MINORITIES & ALL WEEKER SECTIONS

On 08th & 09th September 2017 (Friday & Saturday) At AMBEDKAR BHAVAN Rani Jhansi Road (in front of Videocon Tower)NEW DELHI Respected Brother and Sister, Political & Social Leaders and Thinkers, Social Engineer, Members and well-wisher of Society, you are cordially invited to attend two days open DISCUSSION/SEMINAR TO UNITE & STRENGTHENING SC/ST/OBC/MINORITIES & ALL […]

On 08th & 09th September 2017 (Friday & Saturday) At AMBEDKAR BHAVAN Rani Jhansi Road (in front of Videocon Tower)NEW DELHI Respected Brother and Sister, Political & Social Leaders and Thinkers, Social Engineer, Members and well-wisher of Society, you are cordially invited to attend two days open DISCUSSION/SEMINAR TO UNITE & STRENGTHENING SC/ST/OBC/MINORITIES & ALL […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2017/09/two-days-open-discussionseminar-to-unite-strengthening-scstobcminorities-all-weeker-sections/

Save the indigenous people cry : Valley needs protection

Save the indigenous people of the land. This slogan is central to the demands put forth by the KSA to bar non-locals from contesting elections in the State, delete all the non-locals from the voting list as well as the demand of the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) to enact a legislation […]

Save the indigenous people of the land. This slogan is central to the demands put forth by the KSA to bar non-locals from contesting elections in the State, delete all the non-locals from the voting list as well as the demand of the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) to enact a legislation […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2017/08/save-the-indigenous-people-cry-valley-needs-protection/

Meeting held, discussed about inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in ST Category

Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee, Manipur na Manipur gi leihaomi singgi manung da ama oiriba Meitei/Meetei bu Bharat ki Sangbidhan gi Article 342 (1) gi makhada Scheduled Tribe haina khangnaba Leihaomi amasung Yelhaomi singgi list ta yaohallu/hanjallahlu haina Bharat Sharkar amadi Manipur Sarkar gi authority da chahi kaya taksunduna lakli. Adubu laibak thibadi haojik faoba Manipur […]

Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee, Manipur na Manipur gi leihaomi singgi manung da ama oiriba Meitei/Meetei bu Bharat ki Sangbidhan gi Article 342 (1) gi makhada Scheduled Tribe haina khangnaba Leihaomi amasung Yelhaomi singgi list ta yaohallu/hanjallahlu haina Bharat Sharkar amadi Manipur Sarkar gi authority da chahi kaya taksunduna lakli. Adubu laibak thibadi haojik faoba Manipur […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2017/07/meeting-held-discussed-about-inclusion-of-meiteimeetei-in-st-category/

STDCM sets Aug 16 deadline for Govt

Imphal, July 30 2017: The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee, Manipur (STDCM) has warned of launching intense forms of agitation from August 17 unless the State Govt takes up necessary steps for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe list under the Constitution of India before August 16. The STDCM today organised a sit-in demanding inclusion […]

Imphal, July 30 2017: The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee, Manipur (STDCM) has warned of launching intense forms of agitation from August 17 unless the State Govt takes up necessary steps for inclusion of Meetei/Meitei in the Scheduled Tribe list under the Constitution of India before August 16. The STDCM today organised a sit-in demanding inclusion […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2017/07/stdcm-sets-aug-16-deadline-for-govt/

Attracting the non-locals ; The threat is real !

Do not allow non-locals to contest in elections in the State. Reserve eight Assembly Constituencies for indigenous people. It is under this banner that student body Kangleipak Students’ Association has been spearheading a movement of late, mobilising students from different schools to take to the streets. Regulate the inflow of non-local people into the State […]

Do not allow non-locals to contest in elections in the State. Reserve eight Assembly Constituencies for indigenous people. It is under this banner that student body Kangleipak Students’ Association has been spearheading a movement of late, mobilising students from different schools to take to the streets. Regulate the inflow of non-local people into the State […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2017/07/attracting-the-non-locals-the-threat-is-real/

1 hr shutdown observed to demand ST status

IMPHAL, Dec 6 : Life in several parts of Manipur valley was disrupted as people observed a one-hour total shutdown to demand inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the Scheduled Tribe category under the Constitution. Organised under the banner of the Coordinating Body on Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur, markets in Imphal and other valley districts were […]

IMPHAL, Dec 6 : Life in several parts of Manipur valley was disrupted as people observed a one-hour total shutdown to demand inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the Scheduled Tribe category under the Constitution. Organised under the banner of the Coordinating Body on Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur, markets in Imphal and other valley districts were […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2016/12/1-hr-shutdown-observed-to-demand-st-status/

Gorkha ST Status Committee to Visit Sikkim

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has informed that the central committee to look into the demand of granting Scheduled Tribe status to 11 communities from the hills and plains will visit Sikkim and Darjeeling by November 15. This has come on the heels of RTI reply that revealed the committee formed on April 2 had not […]

The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has informed that the central committee to look into the demand of granting Scheduled Tribe status to 11 communities from the hills and plains will visit Sikkim and Darjeeling by November 15. This has come on the heels of RTI reply that revealed the committee formed on April 2 had not […]

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2016/10/gorkha-st-status-committee-to-visit-sikkim/

Govt reminded of Oct deadline to approach Centre

IMPHAL, Sep 26 : The Coordinating Body on Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (CBSTDCM) has appealed to all the Meetei people to extend full support to the ongoing campaign for inclusion of Meetei in ST category. A press release issued by CBSTDCM publicity committee convenor Waikhom Ananda Meetei said that a huge public rally was […]

The post Govt reminded of Oct deadline to approach Centre appeared first on The Sangai Express.

IMPHAL, Sep 26 : The Coordinating Body on Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee Manipur (CBSTDCM) has appealed to all the Meetei people to extend full support to the ongoing campaign for inclusion of Meetei in ST category. A press release issued by CBSTDCM publicity committee convenor Waikhom Ananda Meetei said that a huge public rally was […]

The post Govt reminded of Oct deadline to approach Centre appeared first on The Sangai Express.

Read more / Original news source: http://www.thesangaiexpress.com/govt-reminded-oct-deadline-approach-centre/

Sixth Day of “Relay Hunger Strike” by Meetei / Meitei groups Demanding Restoration of Scheduled Tribe status

“Tarukni (6) ni Chanba Khuthang Chara Henkhre” Coordinating Body on Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee na sin langdu na lamdam sigi Meetei singa khutsamnaduna houkhiba August 7 dagi houkhiba khuthang chara henbagi khongjang ngasi numit tarukni (6) ni chanbagi khongjang oina Wangkhei Keithel Ashangbi Community Hall da SATJAL Academy (Universal Friendship Organisation) gi volunteer sing na […]

The post Sixth Day of “Relay Hunger Strike” by Meetei / Meitei groups Demanding Restoration of Scheduled Tribe status appeared first on KanglaOnline.

“Tarukni (6) ni Chanba Khuthang Chara Henkhre” Coordinating Body on Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee na sin langdu na lamdam sigi Meetei singa khutsamnaduna houkhiba August 7 dagi houkhiba khuthang chara henbagi khongjang ngasi numit tarukni (6) ni chanbagi khongjang oina Wangkhei Keithel Ashangbi Community Hall da SATJAL Academy (Universal Friendship Organisation) gi volunteer sing na […]

The post Sixth Day of “Relay Hunger Strike” by Meetei / Meitei groups Demanding Restoration of Scheduled Tribe status appeared first on KanglaOnline.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2016/08/sixth-day-relay-hunger-strike-meetei-meitei-groups-demanding-restoration-scheduled-tribe-status/