Two Manipur-based organisations have urged the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to delete the 'Any Kuki Tribes' category from the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list in the State as it allegedly allows "foreigners to claim rights" of the indigenous people and "poses a threat to their land and resources".
Also read: On delisting some Kuki-Zomi tribes in Manipur | Explained
In a memorandum to the Ministry, the two organisations - Thadou Inpi manipur and Meitei Alliance - stated that "the appeal aligns with the official position of the Government of Manipur, which, following cabinet decisions on October 19, 2018 and January 2, 2023, formally recommended the deletion of 'Any Kuki Tribes' category.
Centre asks to study delisting Kukis, Zomis from ST list
"The vague nature of 'Any Kuki tribes' (AKT) allows foreigners to claim tribal rights in Manipur. This poses a serious threat to land, resources, and constitutional privileges of pre-existing scheduled tribes," the two organisations claimed in the memorandum.
