A meeting between around 30 representatives of the Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) and Manipur Home Minister K. Govindas Konthoujam over the demand for updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the Census has ended without any concrete commitment on the crucial demand to formally adopt 1951 as the base year.
The contrasting accounts of the meeting have exposed a widening gap between the government’s public projection and the position of the civil society representatives.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Home Minister K. Govindas described the interaction as a “constructive” discussion on “important public concerns, including NRC and demographic issues in Manipur.”
The JFD, however, said the meeting produced no firm assurance that the government would issue an official order confirming 1951 as the base year within September.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, JFD Finance Secretary Sunil Karam said the delegation met the Home Minister at his Babupara residence in Imphal at around 11 am to seek clarity on the government’s position on NRC updation before the Census and the adoption of 1951 as the base year.
According to Sunil Karam, the delegation was told that the matter would be considered and that the issue could be taken up within September. However, he said no concrete commitment was given for issuing a formal government order within the month.
The JFD has made it clear that verbal assurances will not be accepted as a substitute for an official order.
Sunil Karam said the JFD, along with other civil society organisations, would continue and intensify its agitation until both the Centre and the Manipur Government formally confirm 1951 as the base year for NRC updation in the State.
He said recent developments, including the conclusion of the Assembly session and the Vice-President’s visit to Manipur, had provided opportunities to place the State’s concerns before the Centre, but the absence of a formal decision remained a matter of concern.
Warning of a possible escalation, Sunil Karam said the agitation could be intensified further, including protests that may affect the functioning of government offices, if the demand remains unaddressed.
He also appealed to the Manipur Police not to obstruct peaceful democratic protests, asserting that the demand for NRC updation reflected a wider public concern. At the same time, he urged protesters to exercise restraint and ensure that the agitation did not cause unnecessary hardship to the public.
The JFD reiterated that its demand is specific: NRC updation must be undertaken with 1951 as the base year before the Census, backed by a formal government order. Until such an order is issued, the organisation said, the agitation will continue.
