Secretary (Organisation) of the Meetei (Meitei) Tribe Union (MMTU), Takhellambam Parijat Meitei, today expressed concern over illegal immigration in Manipur and urged the public and civil society organisations to remain vigilant regarding the upcoming census exercise.
Speaking to media persons at the Manipur Press Club, he alleged that illegal immigrants have been steadily entering the state and settling in large numbers, creating what he described as a serious demographic challenge. He claimed that political leaders seeking vote-bank support have allowed such migration to continue.
Referring to the census proposed by the Government of India starting in April, he said the people of Manipur must carefully examine the exercise. According to him, the census could potentially provide an opportunity to identify and detect illegal immigrants living in the state.
He stated that civil society organisations and community leaders should recognise the seriousness of the issue, warning that unchecked immigration could have a significant impact on the political, social and economic structure of the indigenous population.
Takhellambam Parijat Meitei also referred to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) conducted in 1951, saying it should serve as the baseline to identify residents and determine when individuals entered Manipur. He argued that population identification must be carried out before conducting census enumeration or any delimitation exercise.
He further pointed out that census data from 1971 to 2011 allegedly recorded the presence of immigrants who had entered India from neighbouring countries, including Myanmar and Bangladesh. According to him, population growth in several hill subdivisions and some valley areas in Manipur has risen sharply, which he claimed requires closer examination.
Citing demographic data, he said the fertility rate among different communities varies significantly and that abnormal population growth in certain areas raises questions about migration patterns.
He also recalled earlier government measures such as the withdrawal of the foreign pass system in 1950 and the introduction of a 40-kilometre free movement regime along the Indo–Myanmar border. According to him, such policies allowed migrants to enter and settle in the state.
He further noted that an agreement reached in 1994 between the All Manipur Students’ Union and the state government had proposed identifying illegal immigrants using the 1948 electoral roll and the 1951 NRC as reference points, but claimed that the agreement has not been fully implemented.
The MMTU leader urged authorities to address the issue seriously and called on civil society organisations and the public to raise awareness about what he described as a core concern affecting the indigenous population of the state.