The lone Rajya Sabha MP from Manipur Leishemba Sanajaoba, who is also the titular king, has expressed serious concern over the decreasing population of the “majority” Meiteis, the non-tribal Manipuris. He was speaking in a religious conclave in Imphal on Friday.
He said, “As a result of the massive influx of non-locals there is a demographic change. It is aggravated by the birth control through the family planning policy.”
He also said that if the Meiteis do not act now, the valley dwellers will not be able to become chief minister after 15 years. Nothing can be done to stem it once the delimitation is done in this State, he added.
However, former Minister Nimaichand Luwang said, “It is misleading. In the past two tribals, Rishang Keishing and Yangmasho Shaiza from the hill districts had been the chief ministers of Manipur. Keishing was the longest-serving chief minister before Congress leader Okram Ibobi became the first and only chief minister who could complete three consecutive terms”.
Mr. Sanajaoba further said that the ratio of 40:20 between the non-tribals and tribals in Manipur will undergo changes after the delimitation. He also disclosed that Chief Minister N. Biren is urging the union BJP Ministers to carry out the delimitation within 2026.
If the delimitation is carried out on the basis of the 2001 census, three Assembly seats from the valley shall go to the hills. If the delimitation is done on the basis of the 2011 census, the valley districts will lose eight Assembly constituencies. The valley districts shall lose 13 Assembly seats if the delimitation is based on the 2021 census.
These 13 Assembly seats will be whittled away from the valley districts which now have 40 seats. It will mean that the valley areas will have 27 seats and the Assembly seats in the hills shall increase to 33, he said.
The titular king said that many youths are today hardcore drug addicts who do not think of any other matter. There are over 12,000 women who are divorcees, widows and wives of drug addicts.
Another contributing factor is the increasing number of childbirths through cesarean section limiting the number of babies to three for any woman. If the delimitation is not done within 2026 there will be several serious complications, he added.
