Can Indigenous People of Manipur Coexist?
Can Indigenous People of Manipur Coexist? Fr Paul Lelen Haokip Introduction The broad classification of people into the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) and General Category community are measures of the Government of India. The State/Union Territory-wise list of Scheduled Tribes in India has listed 34 recognized tribes in Manipur. In the long term, this classification has its positive and sectarian ramification as well. No law is sacrosanct or entirely unacceptable. There are grey sides in every endeavour. Many persons in Manipur still use the term “occupied territory” after the merger agreement effected on 15 October 1949 that has permanently led to the annexation of Manipur as an integral part of India and its subsequent statehood on 21 January 1972. Now, the occupants of this “occupied territory” are on cold war. If the 22,327 square kilometre Manipur is divided into parts ...