Violence broke out in Manipur on May 3, 2023 during a “Tribal Solidarity March” organised by ATSUM (All Tribal Students’ Union of Manipur). The march was meant to oppose the demand that the Meitei community be included as Scheduled Tribe (ST) in the list of tribes in Manipur. A single-judge high court order in April had asked the government to seriously consider this demand. This court order stirred long-standing tension between Meiteis (who live in the valley) and the hill tribes.
Who are the communities involved
Meiteis: A majority community living primarily in the central valley of Manipur. They include the Meitei Pangals, and together they make up about 64.6% of the state’s population, according to a report by The Indian Express.
Hill tribes: These include Kuki tribes, Naga tribes, and other recognised tribes living in the hilly regions around the valley, and they make up about 35.4% of the population.
Why the Meitei want Scheduled Tribe status
The Meitei community wants to be recognised as a tribe for several reasons:
They say that before 1949 (when Manipur merged with India), Meiteis were viewed as a tribe. After integration, they were removed from the tribe list.
They argue that ST status would help protect their ancestral lands, language, culture, and traditions. Without this status, they believe they are losing political and cultural ground.
Census data shows their percentage of the population has dropped: in 1951 Meiteis were about 59% of Manipur’s population, but by 2011 that fell to 44%. They view this demographic shift as a sign of marginalisation.
What the Manipur High Court decided
On April 14, 2023, a single judge in Manipur High Court ordered the state government to review the Meitei demand for ST status and submit its recommendation within four weeks. The court recognised the argument that the Meitei community has been seeking inclusion in the ST list for many years, and this move added fuel to the tensions between the valley and hill people.
Why hill tribes oppose the Meitei demand
There are several reasons tribes in the hill regions are against the Meitei demand:
Loss of benefits: Scheduled Tribes receive certain privileges in education, jobs, and political representation. Hill tribes fear adding Meiteis to the ST list will reduce those benefits for them.
Dominance: The Meiteis already dominate the political scene in the valley. Many hill tribe leaders believe Meiteis may use ST status to further strengthen their political and cultural power.
Cultural identity: Hill tribes argue the Meiteis’ traditions and language are already protected in many ways. Some say the Meiteis do not face the same level of disadvantage that many hill tribes do.