Interactive | Northeast houses most of India's tribal population

Out of 28.56 lakh people living in Manipur, 11.67 lakh people belong to the ST community

The recent violence in Manipur once again brought the issue of ethnic violence to the fore. Over 50 persons died and several were injured after protests in the northeastern state turned volatile as the majority Meitei and the Kuki communities clashed over the BJP government's move to grant the Scheduled Tribes (STs) status to the former.

While the Hindu Meiteis constitute over 53 per cent of Manipur's 35 lakh population, the other tribals -- mostly Nagas and Kukis -- make up the rest of the population in the state.

Also Read — DH Deciphers | Ethnic fault lines of Manipur

Manipur is divided between hill and valley areas. The hill areas account for 90 per cent of the state’s geography and are inhabited by Naga and Kuki-Chin-Mizo or Zo ethnic tribes. The valley areas are dominated by the non-tribals or the Meiteis community, which despite constituting over half of the population, lives predominantly in Imphal valley that comprise only 10 per cent of the state.

The Meiteis claim that illegal migration from neighbouring Myanmar and Bangladesh has emerged as a threat to their identity. Meiteis can not buy land in the hills districts but the Kukis and Nagas can. The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee of Manipur have been spearheading an agitation seeking ST status for the community and petitioned Singh, also a Meitei, several times. The ST status will fetch reservation benefits for the Meitei. The tribals oppose such demands.

A look at the data from the 2011 Indian Census shows out of the 28.56 lakh people living in Manipur, 11.67 lakh people belong to Scheduled Tribes. The data also reveals that the Northeast of India is the country's tribal stronghold. The first seven spots for states with the highest number of tribal populations are taken by northeastern states.

Mizoram tops the chart with 94.4 per cent of its population belonging to the ST community. It is followed by Nagaland with 86.5 per cent of ST population in the state, Meghalaya with 86.1 per cent, Arunachal Pradesh with 68.8 per cent, Manipur with 40.9 per cent, Sikkim with 33.8 per cent and Tripura with 31.8 per cent.

In Manipur, the percentage of ST population would shoot up if the Meitei community gets the recognition by the Centre.

In the Northeast, however, the Meitei community is not alone in its demand for ST status. In Assam, for instance, six communities — Tai Ahom, Matak, Moran, Chutia, Koch Rajbongshi, and Adivasi — have long been agitating to this end.

(With inputs from DHNS)