Version imprimableIt is crystal clear that it is the March 27 ruling of the Manipur High Court to award ST status to the majority Meitei community (mostly Hindu) that led to mass protests by Zo-Kukis in early May which in turn led to violent attacks by Meitei vigilante groups and then a spiral of violence on both sides but with the Kukis easily the principal sufferers. Not the least reason for this being that the ruling BJP government and its Chief Minister Biren Singh have in various ways favoured the Meiteis. Consider the following:
1. The main though not only purpose of giving ST status to Meiteis is the land question. Kukis reside mostly in the Hills comprising some 90% of the state (much of which is forested) and is deemed their ancestral lands which even the government cannot easily encroach upon yet has tried to do so through arbitrary declarations of
