Manipur govt urges JFD to withdraw its office-closure agitation over NRC demands, saying prolonged disruption could increase public hardship and affect administration.
Imphal, Sept 13: The Manipur Government on Sunday appealed to the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) to withdraw its ongoing agitation demanding the closure of government offices over the updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), saying prolonged disruption could cause further hardship to the public and affect the functioning of government.
Manipur Government spokespersons MLA Th. Radheshyam and MLA Dr Sapam Ranjan Singh made the appeal during a press meet held at the Durbar Hall of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat at Babupara in Imphal.
Radheshyam said the State Government was fully aware of JFD’s demand and acknowledged that people in Manipur also wanted the NRC to be conducted before the Census.
He referred to the recently concluded 8th session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly, which reaffirmed its earlier resolution calling for the NRC to be conducted before the Census. He said Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh had conveyed the same position to the Central Government.
The spokesperson also said the issue of fixing 1951 as the base year for the NRC was discussed in the House on the final day of the Assembly session. According to him, the matter had already been conveyed to the Union Home Ministry.
Radheshyam said members of the Manipur Legislative Assembly had also taken up the issue during their campaign in New Delhi. The Chief Minister subsequently conveyed the demand and the concerns of the people of Manipur to Central leaders, he said.
He added that the Union Home Ministry had consequently postponed the Census process.
The government’s appeal came as the JFD intensified its agitation by calling for the closure of government offices under both the Central and State governments in connection with its NRC-related demands.
Radheshyam cautioned that such an agitation could affect the functioning of the State Government and potentially lead to undesirable incidents.
He appealed to the JFD not to intensify its agitation further and urged the organisation not to continue such activities for a prolonged period.
According to the spokesperson, prolonged disruption of government offices could create greater inconvenience for ordinary people, adding to the difficulties already being faced by the public.
Radheshyam also appealed to all sections of society to “give peace a chance in Manipur” and support the government’s efforts to restore normalcy in the State.
During the press meet, the government spokespersons also clarified that Manipur Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam, along with some other MLAs, had been camping in New Delhi for the past few days to press the Centre on the demand for conducting the NRC with 1951 as its base year.
The spokespersons expressed hope that the Central Government would act in accordance with the wishes of the people of Manipur.
The government’s position comes amid continuing demands in the State for the NRC to precede the Census and for 1951 to be adopted as the base year for identifying the State’s population records.
The government said the issues raised by the JFD were already being taken up with the Centre and urged that further agitation should not disrupt government functioning or create additional difficulties for the public.
