GUWAHATI: A massive rally was taken out in Manipur capital Imphal on Monday, with the participants demanding the updation of the 1951 National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the conduct of Census exercise in the state.
Thousands of people, including members of 14 civil society organisations, took part in the rally. They were livid with the government over the Census exercise before the updation of the NRC.
After the “Peoples’ Convention,” the civil society organisations resolved to urge the Manipur government and the Centre to update the NRC before the Census exercise. It was also resolved to request the Manipur Chief Minister to initiate a meaningful dialogue with the Centre on this issue.
The organisations further resolved to urge the Centre-constituted “High Level Committee on Demographic Change” to include a nominee or agency of the Manipur government. The request was made in light of growing concerns over demographic changes in Manipur.
Shanta Nahakpam, president of United Committee Manipur, criticised the central government for its alleged inaction on the NRC in Manipur.
He categorically stated that the updation of the NRC in Manipur was needed for the protection of indigenous identity, land rights and political representation.
Another concern is that a future delimitation exercise depending on “unverified” demographic figures could affect electoral representation and erode constitutional safeguards for the indigenous communities.
Nahakpam wondered whether a fair and credible Census could be conducted when thousands of people, internally displaced by the 2023 ethnic violence, continued to live in relief camps.
He said civil society organisations had already petitioned the Centre seeking the deferment of the Census exercise in Manipur.
Last week, Kuki organisation Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) opposed the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.
The organisation said it had expected the government to first put in place adequate and practical arrangements to address the situation of around 59,000 Kuki-Zo internally displaced persons, who were unable to return to their homes to participate in the SIR exercise.
“Proceeding with such a critical electoral and administrative exercise without ensuring the participation of a large and vulnerable section of the population undermines the very principles of democratic representation. The exclusion, whether direct or indirect, of these people from the SIR process renders the exercise incomplete and unacceptable in its present form,” KIM stated in a statement.