The Manipur High Court issued an order on Wednesday, 21 February, in which it deleted its direction to the state government to consider including Meiteis in the list for Scheduled Tribes (ST) in the state – which had triggered violent clashes between Kukis and Meiteis across Manipur on 3 May last year.
What did the order say? The court in Thursday's order cited an order by the Supreme Court which underlined the process for the inclusion and exclusion of tribes in the ST list. The order stated that the prerogative for inclusion and exclusion rests with the Central government and that courts cannot decide on such matters.
The apex court had also ruled that courts do not have the right to amend or alter the ST list in any way.
In its earlier order on the subject, which was issued on 27 March last year, the high court had said that the state should consider the case for the inclusion of Meiteis in the ST list, preferably within four weeks.
However, in Thursday's order, the court said that the previous order was against the SC's ruling in the State of Maharashtra v. Milind & Ors case. "Accordingly, the direction given at Para No. 17(iii) needs to be deleted and is ordered accordingly for deletion," the order read.
Optics Behind the Conflict
While the high court's order asking the state to consider including Meiteis in the ST list is considered to be the triggering factor behind the violence, the conflict between Kukis and Meiteis had been brewing for quite some time before the order.
In February 2023, the Deputy Commissioner of Churachandpur ordered an identification drive to get hold of ‘illegal immigrants’ in several villages (around 38) located across the border of Churachandpur and Noney districts.
Soon the Forest Department of Manipur along with security forces began evicting the residents of the Kuki tribal village K Songjang in Churachandpur alleging that the village settlement had encroached Churachandpur-Khopum protected area. As the news and content of the notice travelled to the nearby villages, tribals mobilised and staged protests which also turned violent injuring protestors as well as security forces.
The bone of contention between the state and tribals was over a government order on protected forest land. The government used the word ‘encroachment’ which the tribal inhabitants say is ’settlement’.
The government cites, Manipur Forest Rules, 2021, Rule number 73, which empowers Forest Officers to evict any encroachment/trespass on forest land. It also particularly says, encroachers can be evicted without notice.
Further, way back in 2015, nine young tribal men were killed amid protests against three alleged "anti-tribal" bills being pushed by the then Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
Hence, the trigger that sparked the current protests can be said to be related to land rights.
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