AMSU opposes census without NRC, intensifies campaign across Manipur

The All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) today asserted that any attempt to conduct the census without first implementing mechanisms to detect and deport illegal migrants would be strongly opposed.
During a campaign organized today, the AMSU said short-term measures aimed at suppressing public demand for identification and deportation of illegal migrants prior to the census would not be accepted. The student body maintained that even if the census is postponed for five or ten years, it would continue to oppose its conduct without the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) or similar legal frameworks.
As part of its ongoing “Realisation Month” campaign to safeguard indigenous people, AMSU organised academic awareness programmes at Little Master Higher Secondary School, Samarou, and Khuman Maheikol, Mayang Imphal. The campaign was accompanied by poster drives in areas including Singjamei and Canchipur, highlighting the demand for implementation of NRC and detection of illegal migrants.
AMSU Organisation Secretary Huidrom Punsiba stated that delaying the census without addressing the issue of illegal immigration would not resolve public concerns. He warned that conducting the census without proper identification and removal of illegal migrants could trigger widespread public agitation.
He further said the government must not ignore the sentiments of the people, adding that the issue of illegal immigration is not merely political but a matter of safeguarding the identity and future of indigenous communities.
The academic programmes were attended by school authorities, including principals Moirangthem Lokeshor of Little Master Higher Secondary School and Naorem Manglemjao of Khuman Maheikol, along with students.