NRC-before-Census protest turns tense in Imphal as police fire tear gas at JFD students, with protesters reporting three injuries and police confirming one.
Imphal, August 16: A protest demanding implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur before the conduct of Census 2027 turned tense outside the Directorate of Census Operations at Porompat in Imphal East on Sunday, with police firing tear gas shells to disperse demonstrators.
The Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) Students’ Wing had gathered outside the Directorate, raising slogans of “No NRC, No Census” and opposing the scheduled start of the Census exercise in the state.
The JFD Students’ Wing claimed that three protesters were injured during the confrontation. Police, however, maintained that only one protester sustained minor injuries.
JFD member Somorjit Luwang identified the injured protesters as Khangembam Pilot, who was admitted to JNIMS Hospital; Longjam Roja, admitted to Advanced Hospital; and Angom Daisy, admitted to Kripadashini Advanced Hospital. Luwang further alleged that one of the injured protesters was in critical condition and that some demonstrators suffered head injuries. These claims could not be independently verified.
The confrontation occurred a day before the self-enumeration phase of Census 2027 is scheduled to begin on August 17. The main house-listing exercise is scheduled from September 1 to 30.
According to officials, protesters carrying placards opposing the Census forced trainees to leave the Directorate premises before a training programme could begin. Protesters said they had attempted to enter the office premises and later tried to lock the main gate after being stopped by security personnel, prompting police intervention.
The JFD Students’ Wing has been demanding that citizenship verification through the NRC precede the Census exercise in Manipur. The organisation argues that this would help identify alleged illegal immigrants and provide a clearer assessment of the state's demographic composition.
Protesters seek deferment of Census
JFD Students’ Wing convenor Naorem Wangamba reiterated the demand for an NRC before the Census.
“We have been demanding NRC to identify illegal immigrants. However, the government is seeking to conduct the Census without carrying out NRC. NRC is important to save future generations,” Wangamba stated.
Protesters also raised concerns over what they described as the presence of alleged illegal immigrants and argued that conducting the Census without first undertaking citizenship verification could affect the accuracy of population data.
They further cited displacement of indigenous residents and alleged influx as reasons for seeking completion of the NRC updating process before the Census.
The JFD has maintained that its agitation would continue until the authorities agree to defer the Census operation and take up the NRC issue.
Campaign expands across Imphal
Somorjit Luwang said protests were also held at several locations in Imphal, with indefinite agitations continuing at Thangmeiband in Imphal West and Wangkhei Wall Club.
He described the confrontation at Porompat as the most intense episode in the ongoing campaign and said the organisation would intensify its agitation, with further protest programmes planned from Sunday evening.
Meira Paibi members and youths from different localities also held torch rallies in Imphal on Sunday night as part of the wider mobilisation.
The latest protest followed an earlier disruption on Friday, when members of the JFD Students’ Wing reportedly disrupted a training programme for Census enumerators and supervisors at Moirang College in Bishnupur district.
Carrying “No NRC, No Census” placards, the protesters forced the trainees to leave the venue before the training could begin, officials said.
The JFD's campaign has added to the debate surrounding the Census exercise in Manipur, where several civil society and student organisations have been calling for citizenship verification before population enumeration.
With the self-enumeration phase of Census 2027 scheduled to commence on Monday, the JFD Students’ Wing has indicated that its protests will continue unless its demand for an NRC before the Census is addressed.
