GUWAHATI: Amid the unrest in Manipur’s Imphal Valley over demand for the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state, ten leaders of different communities and organisations left for New Delhi on Thursday to press the demand for the identification of the original Indian citizens before the delimitation exercise.
“We will take the people’s demand for 'NRC before Census and delimitation' to Union ministers, BJP leaders and Intelligence Bureau officials,” one of the leaders said.
A 48-hour strike, called by the civil society and student-led movement ‘Campaign for Just and Free Delimitation’ (JFD) in the five Imphal Valley districts demanding the NRC’s implementation before Census and delimitation exercises, ended on Wednesday.
However, the JFD announced a boycott of state and central government offices from Thursday. It appealed to people to take up the NRC demand with their respective MLAs.
Given the prevailing law and order situation, the state government ordered the closure of all educational institutions for three days from Thursday.
“In view of the prevailing law and order situation in the state, the Governor of Manipur is pleased to declare the closure of all schools as may be affiliated to the Board of Secondary Education, the Council of Higher Secondary Education, the Central Board of Secondary Education or otherwise; colleges and higher education institutes including universities; falling under government, aided or unaided sectors, from Thursday, the 20th of August, 2026 to Saturday, the 22nd of August, 2026,” a government order said.
The United Naga Council, Manipur’s apex Naga organisation, also reiterated that no Census and delimitation exercise should be conducted in the state before the NRC’s implementation.
As the demand intensifies, the state government has cleared its position, advocating for the NRC’s implementation considering concerns over demographic changes and imbalance due to illegal migration.