JFD calls for halt to electoral politics until detection of illegal migrants

Convenor of the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD), Jeetendra Ningomba, has called upon political leaders in Manipur to suspend electoral activities and prioritise the detection of alleged illegal immigrants in the state.
Addressing an awareness programme organised in connection with the forthcoming Census, he stated that electoral politics should not proceed until mechanisms are put in place to identify and verify undocumented migrants. He cautioned that a mass movement could be launched if elections are pursued before the issue is addressed.
The awareness programme, jointly organised by Sugnu Apunba Meira Paibi Lup and JFD, was held at Ching Tam Community Hall at Sugnu Bazar in Kakching district. Representatives of local Meira Paibi groups and various clubs attended the event.
Jeetendra Ningomba observed that Census and delimitation exercises are generally conducted every ten years worldwide and have been carried out periodically in India since 1961. However, he contended that in Manipur, concerns have arisen over conducting the Census without first implementing measures such as the National Register of Citizens or similar legal frameworks to detect and verify the status of migrants who allegedly entered the state after 1951.
He stated that while the Census is an important constitutional exercise, it should be undertaken only after due verification of citizenship to avoid demographic discrepancies. Referring to the 2001 Census, he alleged irregularities in enumeration, claiming that certain hill sub-divisions recorded unusually high population growth while some valley areas showed comparatively lower figures. He further claimed that significant increases in the number of villages in some districts required verification before proceeding with fresh enumeration.
He also referred to migration from neighbouring countries, including Myanmar, Bangladesh and Nepal, and expressed concern that ongoing unrest in Myanmar may have contributed to cross-border movement into Manipur. He urged the state government to convey these concerns to the Centre before the Census is conducted.
Jeetendra Ningomba maintained that although Census operations are generally not deferred except in extraordinary circumstances such as natural disasters or war, the present situation in Manipur warrants reconsideration. He argued that conducting the Census without prior detection of alleged illegal migrants could have long-term implications for the indigenous population.
Meanwhile, JFD Finance Secretary Sunil Karam stated that as a popular government is in place in the state, it should send a strong message to the Centre opposing the Census until detection mechanisms are implemented. He said the organisation had earlier urged the government to conduct the Census only after implementation of the NRC or similar legislation.
He added that several memoranda had been submitted to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla in this regard but alleged that the concerns raised by the organisation remain unaddressed.
The campaign reiterated its demand that identification and verification of citizens be completed before conducting the Census in Manipur.