GUWAHATI: The Manipur government will send a team of MLAs to New Delhi to urge the Centre to take up the issue of National Register of Citizens (NRC) implementation in the state.
The government made an announcement in this regard on Tuesday, the first day of a two-day general strike called by the civil society and student-led movement ‘Campaign for Just and Free Delimitation,’ demanding the implementation of the NRC before Census and delimitation exercises in the state.
The demand gained traction as the United Naga Council (UNC) is on the same page. It reiterated that no Census and delimitation exercise should be conducted in the state before the NRC’s implementation.
The UNC, which is Manipur’s apex Naga organisation, said this stand was clearly stated in the May 3, 2024 joint memorandum that it and the Meitei organisation Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity had submitted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Manipur government on Tuesday reiterated its stand, advocating for the implementation of the NRC in the state given concerns over demographic changes and imbalance due to illegal migration.
Addressing a press conference, government spokesperson and MLA Dr Sapam Ranjan Singh said the government remained serious about the issues concerning the NRC and Census and stood firmly with the people of Manipur in addressing their concerns.
He recalled that the Assembly had passed a resolution on August 5, 2022, urging that NRC be taken up in the state. He said the issue remained a long-standing concern of the state government and that efforts had been continuously pursued through correspondence with the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Singh said that a team of MLAs would visit New Delhi to seek guidance and urge the central government to take up the NRC issue. He stressed that the matter should be addressed collectively, irrespective of political party, community or other differences, as it concerns the future of the state and its people.
Former Chief Minister N Biren Singh said he had apprised Union home minister Amit Shah about the ongoing bandh, strike and agitation in Manipur over the NRC demand.
“I believe that the Home Minister will take some positive action,” he told media persons.