Overview

• Thadou Inpi Manipur and Meitei Alliance formally petitioned the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to delete the ‘Any Kuki Tribes’ category from the state’s ST list.
• The appeal echoes cabinet decisions by the Government of Manipur on October 19, 2018 and January 2, 2023 that recommended the same deletion.
• The organisations allege the category was inserted in 2003 through politically motivated, non-transparent means and lacks distinct linguistic and cultural markers required by Article 342.
• They contend AKT’s vague scope has enabled outsiders to claim constitutional privileges, threatening resources and land of pre-existing tribes.
• The memorandum states the category has fueled ethnic discord and undermined social harmony among Manipur’s tribal communities.