Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) convenor Jeetendra Ningomba says the campaign is not against Kukis and reiterates demand for NRC before Census in Manipur.
Imphal, August 30: The ‘No NRC, No Census’ movement of the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) is not directed against the Kuki community, its convenor Jeetendra Ningomba said at a men-only public meeting organised in Bishnupur in support of the campaign for conducting the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the Census.
The Lamangdong Meeting, organised by Bishnupur Akoiba Apunba Lup (BAAL), was held at the Ibudhou Yangoi Ningthou Community Hall under the theme, “Identify outsiders first through NRC, conduct Census later, protect indigenous people.”
Addressing the gathering, Jeetendra said the NRC was intended to identify genuine citizens of India and maintained that the campaign was not directed against any particular community.
He said a white paper on the prevailing situation in Manipur would be necessary for carrying out the NRC. According to Jeetendra, the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation had been demanding for the past year that the NRC be conducted before the Census.
He also argued that both political pressure and public mobilisation were required to pursue the demand. He attributed the lifting of President’s Rule to pressure exerted by the public and civil society organisations.
Campaign says Census should follow NRC
Jeetendra maintained that the campaign was not being driven by personal interests and that conducting the Census only after the NRC reflected the demand of the people.
He explained that population enumeration involved both head counting and household counting. Referring to population patterns in Manipur's hills and valley, he claimed that the growth of the hill population had exceeded what he described as the expected rate in relation to available living space.
He further contrasted population growth in the valley, where he said family planning had been practised, with what he described as uncontrolled population growth in the hills.
Jeetendra said the central demand of the campaign was recognition of genuine Indian citizens. He pointed to the displacement of thousands of people and their continued stay in relief camps amid the ongoing instability in Manipur.
“Looking at the future generation,” he argued, conducting the Census after the NRC was necessary.
He also explained that delimitation involves reorganising electoral constituencies based on population size.
JFD raises concerns over migration and village numbers
Longjam Ratan, organisation secretary of Just and Fair Delimitation, referred to the history of population enumeration in the region and said the first Census in Manipur was conducted during the British period in 1881, while the Census in India had begun in 1871.
Ratan also referred to the Permit System in Manipur, stating that it came into force in 1931. He distinguished between people entering Manipur from other parts of India, whom he described as migrants, and those entering from Myanmar and Bangladesh, whom he referred to as illegal immigrants.
He claimed that the number of Naga, Muslim and Meitei villages had not increased while the number of Kuki villages in Manipur was increasing.
Ratan argued that postponing the Census was necessary under the circumstances and stressed that an NRC would concern citizens and not others.
He described Just and Fair Delimitation as a campaign committee and reiterated its demand that outsiders be identified before the Census is conducted.
Ratan also stated that postponement of the Census was permissible under the Census Act and pointed to Assam as the only state where the 1951 NRC was being updated.
He said delimitation should be based on Census data and maintained that conducting a Census in the hills while excluding the valley would not be acceptable.
Bishnupur group backs movement
L. Devchand, president of the Bishnupur Akoiba Apunba Lup, said people had remained separated from their children and grandchildren and had been forced to leave their land and properties and stay in relief camps since the outbreak of the conflict.
Devchand alleged that indigenous people were being displaced by outsiders and illegal immigrants. He called for collective participation in the movement for Just and Fair Delimitation.
He also claimed that if delimitation were conducted using the 2011 Census figures, Manipur's representation would fall to 33 seats from the earlier 40 seats.
He said the women-only meeting was organised in Bishnupur to extend support to the Just and Fair Delimitation campaign.
Dr Haojam Ghanashyam, adviser to the Bishnupur Akoiba Apunba Lup, said the demand was not against the Census itself but for conducting it after the NRC.
He argued that an NRC would establish who the genuine citizens of India were and claimed that the Union Home Ministry was aware of the entry of people from Myanmar and Bangladesh into Manipur.
Ghanashyam said those whom he described as illegal immigrants should be sent back before the Census is conducted.
Prominent personalities from Wards 1 to 12 of the Bishnupur Municipal Council attended the meeting as presidium members.
