Manipur: Students groups try to storm CM’s Bungalow, Raj Bhawan demanding implementation of NRC, Population Commission

Hundreds of members of the All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU), Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF), Democratic Students' Alliance of Manipur (DESAM), Kangleipak Students' Association (KSA), Students Union of Kangleipak (SUK) and

Dramatic scenes were witnessed in the heart of Imphal city this afternoon as members of at least 6 students organisations took to the streets demanding implementation of NRC and setting up of the Population Commission.

Slogans demanding the implementation of NRC and a Population Commission reverberated the air as the protestors marched towards the residence of CM N Biren Singh.

However, intervened by the security forces, the rally then proceeded towards the Raj Bhawan.

According to the agitating groups, time is high to safeguard the indigenous population from the illegal immigrants and mentioned that an unnatural growth of population can be witnessed in the hill areas of the state.

In this regard, President of Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM), Leishangthem Lamyanba said,”We are demanding the implementation of NRC to protect our indigenous population from the illegal migrants who are merely coming from Nepal, Bangladesh and Myanmar. Recently we have seen unnatural growth of population in the hill areas of Manipur. So we need to identify the illegal immigrants, we need to detect and deport them. That is why we are demanding NRC.”

Not only this, the students bodies also flayed the role of the N Biren Singh government in setting up of the Population Commission. The agitating groups alleged that there has been no follow up action by the government in this regard.

DESAM president Lamyanba said,”the government also decided to establish the Population Commission. But so far no follow up action has been taken up. So we condemn such kind of delay in the government action. So we demand the immediate establishment of the Population Commission.”

The protestors also drew attention of the government by stating that many unauthorized villages have emerged in the forest lands of the hill areas.

They demanded,”we demand evictions also under the procedure established by the law. We want to protect our environment, we want to protect our future and we once again demand that the government should immediately implement NRC.”

Hundreds of members of the All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU), Manipuri Students’ Federation (MSF), Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM), Kangleipak Students’ Association (KSA), Students Union of Kangleipak (SUK) and Apunba Ireipakki Maheiroi Singpanglup (AIMS) took part in the protest.

It may be mentioned that the Manipur Assembly on August 5, 2022 had unanimously adopted two private member resolutions to set up a State Population Commission and implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

As per data presented in the Manipur Assembly in 2022, the hill areas of the state saw a population growth of 153.3 per cent between 1971 and 2001, and it mounted to 250.9 per cent during the 2001-2011 period.

Meanwhile, the valley areas also recorded a population growth of 94.8 per cent from 1971 to 2001 and around 125 per cent from 2001 to 2011, Joykishan stated.

Chief Minister N Biren Singh then, while participating in the discussion on the resolutions had said such motions to establish a population commission and implement the NRC in the state would serve the collective interests of all the members of the House.

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