Manipur Violence: BJP MLA Approaches SC Against ST Status To Meiteis, Tribal Outfit Seeks SIT Investigations
A ruling BJP MLA Dinganglung Gangmei filed an appeal challenging the High Court order on the issue of Scheduled Tribe status to the Meitei community.
A batch of pleas has been filed in the Supreme Court on the Manipur violence including the one by a ruling BJP MLA Dinganglung Gangmei challenging the High Court order on the issue of Scheduled Tribe status to the Meitei community. A tribal outfit also has filed a separate PIL seeking an SIT investigation into the violence that broke out in the northeastern state last week. BJP MLA and Chairman of the Hills Area Committee (HAC) of the Manipur Legislative Assembly Dinganglung Gangmei filled the appeals challenging various orders passed by the Manipur High Court on the ST status to Meiteis, including the contempt notices on the criticism of the HC order, reported news agency PTI.
Gangmei in his appeal said the HAC, as quoted by PTI, "was a necessary and proper party and the proceedings before the High Court were vitiated on account of not making the HAC a party”.
He also said, “Even if directions were to be given they could not have been given without notice to the HAC (Hills Area Committee) and hearing the HAC."
Gangmei further said that due to the impugned order tension between both the community, violent clashes have erupted across the state. His appeal said, “As a result of it so far 19 tribal people have been killed, various places in the states are blocked, the internet is completely shutdown and more people are at risk of losing their lives.”
Manipur Tribal Forum NGO Files PIL
Manipur Tribal Forum NGO based in the state filed a PIL through an advocate Satya Mitra in the Supreme Court of India. In this, the NGO said it has moved the Apex Court under Article 32 of the Constitution on account of the extreme situation arising out of the attacks on the tribal community in Manipur by a “dominant group,” reported PTI.
The PIL said that "these attacks have the full support of the party in power, which supports the dominant group." The NGO has sought directions to the Centre and Manipur to evacuate Manipuri tribals who have fled their villages.
The PIL by the tribal outfit also said that the attacks began on May 3 and several churches and hospitals were also damaged when the mobs went on a rampage. Several houses, vehicles and business establishments belonging to tribals were burnt.
It said, "Neither FIR was registered nor is there any investigation taking place" although 30 tribals were killed and 132 people were injured during the violence.
Meanwhile, the PIL sought directions to the Centre and the state government to deploy central forces to protect all churches and places of worship of the tribal/Christians in Manipur with immediate effect, reported PTI.
The NGO has urged that a team of professionals be put together to conduct an inquiry into the villages destroyed. It also sought to make an assessment of the damage and pay compensation to the victims and ensure reconstruction of buildings including churches.
The PIL said, "A prayer clause has been made for the appointment of former DGP Assam (Harekrishna Deka) as the head of an SIT to investigate and prosecute and with a mandate to put together a team of his choice of police personnel and other support secretarial staff so that final reports are made expeditiously," as quoted by PTI.
This comes after the clashes broke out in Churachandpur district last Wednesday after tribals held a protest opposing reservation to the Meiteis. This happened after the High Court asked the state government in its order to send a recommendation to the Centre within four weeks on the demand for ST status by the Meitei community.
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