Manipur: Protests escalate demanding NRC update before census exercise

The Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) has escalated protests in Manipur, holding torch rallies and marches. Protesters are demanding an update of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before any census exercise is conducted in the state.

Protests Escalate Across Manipur

The Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) on Sunday escalated protests across key areas of Manipur to demand the update of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the census. As part of the agitation, torch rallies were staged at several locations across the state on Sunday night.

In response to the JFD's appeal, which urged all sections of society to march to the offices of Deputy Commissioners and press the government to defer the Census exercise, demonstrative marches were held along the Uripok-Kangchup Road, Tiddim Road, Kongba Road, and Khurai-Lamlong. During the demonstrations, protesters raised slogans explicitly stating that no Census exercise would be permitted until the NRC is updated and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are resettled. The decision to intensify the protest was taken following detailed consultations with leaders of multiple organisations, including Meira Paibi groups.

The police deployed stringent security measures across the affected areas to prevent any untoward incidents during the torch rallies. As part of the renewed agitation, protest marches to Deputy Commissioner offices and torch rallies were organised by civil society organisations from both the valley and hill districts under the unified slogan that no Census exercise will be allowed until the NRC is updated.

This fresh wave of agitation follows a similar demonstration on March 11, when people from across Manipur, under the banner of the Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD), staged a protest against the ongoing Census process in the state. During that demonstration at Ima Market in Imphal, protesters had similarly voiced their opposition to the exercise. The situation turned tense when police fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, in which five protesters were reportedly injured.

JFD Demands 'Just and Fair Census'

Naorem Wangamba, Assistant Secretary (Organisation) of the JFD, stated that the organisation is demanding a "Just and Fair Census" coupled with a transparent delimitation process. He emphasised the JFD's demand to defer the ongoing census until illegal immigrants are properly identified, using 1951 as the base cut-off year. Wangamba warned that if the census proceeds without segregating illegal immigrants, there is a risk they could be legalised as bona fide Indian citizens, a move he claimed would violate both the truth and the Constitution.

Furthermore, he noted that the organisation had already submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister on December 15, 2025, urging the Centre to postpone the census in Manipur until illegal immigrants are detected and the state's ongoing conflict is resolved. In line with these demands, the JFD has called for the National Register of Citizens (NRC) to be updated before any census is conducted. (ANI)

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