Representatives of 24 civil society organisations on Wednesday held a press meet at the CADA head office, urging the Government of Manipur to ensure that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is updated before the Census is conducted in the State.
Addressing the media, Manipur Peace and Integrity (MAPI) Council president K.C. Romiyo announced that the organisations would launch a campaign on August 6 to demand a firm assurance from the State Government that the NRC would be updated prior to the Census. He said the demand would be submitted to the Government in the form of an ultimatum.
Referring to the House Listing and Housing Census scheduled to commence on August 17, Romiyo alleged that conducting the Census without first identifying and excluding illegal immigrants would allow them to be included in the population count, leading to long-term demographic consequences.
He further claimed that the prevailing situation in Manipur is not conducive to conducting a proper Census, pointing out that many internally displaced persons (IDPs) are yet to return to their homes, normalcy has not been fully restored, and free movement along National Highways and between districts remains restricted. Conducting the Census under such circumstances, he said, would not produce accurate and reliable data.
Citing Section 3 of the Census Act, 1948, the organisations argued that a Census may be postponed under exceptional circumstances, including a breakdown of law and order. They maintained that the present situation in Manipur satisfies those conditions and urged the Government to defer the Census until normalcy is restored.
The organisations also called on the State Government to adopt a resolution in the Legislative Assembly recommending to the Centre that the NRC be updated before the Census is undertaken. They asserted that the Government must safeguard the interests of the people and act in accordance with public concerns.
