The Thadou Inpi Manipur and the Meitei Alliance have jointly submitted a memorandum to the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, demanding the immediate deletion of the entry “Any Kuki Tribes” (AKT) from the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list of Manipur.

The groups stated that their demand aligns with the official position of the Government of Manipur, referencing cabinet decisions dated October 19, 2018, and January 2, 2023, as well as a formal recommendation sent to the Ministry on February 8, 2023, under Article 342 of the Constitution.

According to the memorandum, the inclusion of AKT in the ST list in 2003 was politically driven and lacked both constitutional and ethnographic validity. The signatories argued that “Any Kuki Tribes” is not a recognized tribe but a vague and overlapping category, particularly affecting the Thadou, which has been constitutionally recognized since 1951. The continued presence of AKT in the list, they claimed, has led to duplication, legal ambiguity, and heightened ethnic tensions in the state.

“No native tribes or communities — including Thadou, Paite, Hmar, Vaiphei, Simte, Meitei, or Naga groups — recognize the term ‘Any Kuki Tribes,’” the memorandum stated. It alleged that the term has enabled the creation of “fabricated tribal identities” and misuse of constitutional safeguards meant for genuine tribal communities.

The groups further contended that ‘Kuki’ is a broad political term lacking a distinct linguistic or cultural identity and is applied inconsistently across the Northeast. This, they said, opens the door for illegal immigration, manipulation of tribal benefits, and long-term instability.

Citing historical precedent, the memorandum pointed out that colonial-era umbrella categories such as “Any Kuki,” “Any Naga,” and “Any Lushai” were removed from the ST list after 1956 based on ethnographic surveys. The reintroduction of AKT in 2003, they claimed, violated this established framework and undermines the integrity of the tribal classification system.

The Thadou Inpi and Meitei Alliance concluded by urging the Ministry not to rename or modify the AKT entry but to completely remove it in order to maintain legal clarity and communal harmony in the state. They warned that failure to act could result in further ethnic unrest and compromise the rights of constitutionally recognized communities.

(With inputs from Imphal Times)

MT

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