The Manipur Meetei Tribe Union (MMTU) and former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh have extended strong support to Rajya Sabha MP Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba’s appeal in Parliament for urgent detection, identification, and deportation of illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh before undertaking census and delimitation exercises in the state.
In a statement, the MMTU said Sanajaoba’s stand in the Rajya Sabha reflects their long-standing demand, warning that unchecked settlement of illegal immigrants poses a grave threat to the indigenous people of Manipur. The group urged all political parties to set aside differences and unite on the matter, cautioning that the indigenous population could be overwhelmed if the issue is left unaddressed.
The MMTU recalled that after Manipur’s merger with India in 1949, there was no special constitutional safeguard to protect the Meetei community, resulting in economic, political, and cultural marginalization. They reiterated their demand for the restoration of Meetei/Meitei status in the Scheduled Tribe list under Article 342(1) of the Constitution, noting that Republican Party of India (Athawale) National General Secretary Maheshwar Thounaojam had recently submitted a memorandum to the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs in this regard.
Highlighting discrepancies in the 2001 and 2011 census data, Sanajaoba told the Upper House that including non-indigenous settlers in census records would distort demographic figures and undermine the rights of citizens. He pointed to a May 19 directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs instructing states to act against illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh, adding that while neighbouring Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Meghalaya have begun such drives, visible action in Manipur remains limited.
Former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, in a post on social media platform X, thanked Sanajaoba for “speaking with courage and clarity” on a matter he described as vital to Manipur’s identity, security, and demographic balance. Singh stressed that the issue is not just an administrative necessity but also a step to safeguard the rights, culture, and future of the state’s people, noting that while other MPs had stayed silent, Sanajaoba had voiced the people’s concerns without hesitation.
At present, the MMTU, Arambai Tenggol, Village Volunteer Force, and Universal Friendship Organisation are jointly running a campaign titled “Deport Illegal Immigrants Before Census and Restore Meetei/Meitei in ST Status,” and have appealed to all civil society groups and political parties to support it in unison.