The Manipur government has urged civil society groups to scale back their NRC-related protests, warning that prolonged shutdowns of Central and state government offices could disrupt administration, inconvenience citizens and undermine efforts to restore normalcy in the state.
Key Takeaways:
- The Manipur government has urged CSOs to withdraw protests involving government-office closures over NRC updation.
- The government says prolonged agitation could disrupt administration and increase public hardship.
- The state maintains that NRC updation before Census-2027 remains its position and that the Centre has been approached.
The Manipur government on Sunday appealed to Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to withdraw their ongoing agitation over the demand for updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before Census-2027.
The government particularly expressed concern over the closure of Central and state government offices as part of the protests. It warned that continued shutdowns could cause greater inconvenience to ordinary people and disrupt the functioning of the state administration.
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State government spokespersons Thokchom Radheshyam Singh and Sapam Ranjan Singh, both BJP MLAs, made the appeal at a press conference. They said the government was aware of the NRC demand but urged civil society groups to avoid actions that could add to the difficulties faced by the public.
Government asks CSOs to avoid prolonged shutdowns
Radheshyam Singh said the closure of government offices by organisations, including the Campaign for Justice and Fair Delimitation (CJFD), was creating suffering and inconvenience for citizens.
He appealed to the organisations concerned not to intensify the agitation or continue such activities for an extended period.
According to him, prolonged protests could affect government functioning and create the possibility of undesirable incidents. He urged the CJFD and other groups to consider the impact of the agitation on the wider public.
The spokesperson also called on people from all sections of society “to give peace a chance in Manipur”. He appealed to the public to support efforts aimed at restoring normalcy in the state.
State says NRC demand is already under consideration
The government made it clear that it was not unaware of the demand for NRC updation.
Radheshyam Singh said the state government fully understood the CJFD’s position. He also said the people of Manipur wanted the NRC to be updated before the Census-2027 exercise.
The Manipur Assembly has already reaffirmed its earlier resolution on the issue, he said. The resolution calls for NRC updation before Census-2027.
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh has also conveyed the state’s position to the Central government, according to the spokesperson.
The issue of using 1951 as the base year for the NRC also came up during the final day of the recent Assembly session. Radheshyam Singh said the matter had been conveyed to the Union Home Ministry.
Government points to efforts with Centre
The spokesperson said Manipur MLAs had taken up the NRC issue during their campaign in New Delhi.
The Chief Minister subsequently conveyed the people’s demand to Central leaders, he said.
Radheshyam Singh also said the Union Home Ministry had postponed the Census process following these developments.
The government therefore urged civil society groups to avoid escalating their agitation at a time when the issue is already being pursued with the Centre.
The spokespersons further disclosed that state Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh and some other MLAs have been staying in New Delhi for the past few days.
They are seeking the Centre’s intervention on the demand to update the NRC using 1951 as the base year, they said.
The spokespersons expressed hope that the Centre would act in accordance with the wishes of the people of Manipur.
Protests spread across Imphal Valley
The government’s appeal comes amid sustained protests by several CSOs across the Imphal Valley.
The latest Assembly move on September 2 came against the backdrop of large-scale agitations in Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching districts.
The CJFD and other civil society organisations have been conducting protests in the region since August 17.
Their central demand is that the NRC should be updated before the Census-2027 exercise is undertaken in Manipur.
The campaign has included calls for the closure of government offices, prompting the state government to warn about the wider consequences of prolonged agitation.
Kuki-Zo Council opposes NRC demand
The demand has also faced opposition from the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), the apex body of the Kuki-Zo tribal community in Manipur.
The KZC has opposed the proposal to update the NRC in Manipur before the 2027 Census.
KZC spokesperson Ginza Vualzong said there was no constitutional provision for conducting an NRC exercise exclusively in a particular state.
He argued that the NRC is a national exercise and cited the Assam NRC, which was undertaken pursuant to the Assam Accord of 1985.
Vualzong said any attempt to conduct an NRC exclusively in Manipur would be discriminatory and unconstitutional.
The differing positions have added another dimension to the debate over the sequencing of the NRC and Census exercises in the state.
For the Manipur government, however, the immediate concern is the impact of prolonged agitation on public life. It has urged the protesting organisations to pursue their demands without causing further disruption to government services or increasing the hardships faced by citizens. (With inputs from IANS)
