ANSAM, DESAM demand State's NRC
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 04 2018: In line with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) compiled for the neighbouring State of Assam with the primary objective of checking large scale influx and settlement of immigrants in the State, ANSAM, DESAM and Ireipakki Maheiroi Sinpanglup (AIMS) have demanded a similar NRC for the State of Manipur.

To pursue the common demand, the three student bodies have set up a working committee called the Working Committee on Updation of NRC Manipur.

Speaking to media persons at AIMS office located at Kwakeithel Girls' High School, DESAM vice-president Edison Nameirakpam said that an NRC for the State of Manipur should be compiled and updated and a Population Commission should be set up to check growth of non-local population in the State.

Indigenous people of Manipur have a nagging fear that they would be overwhelmed by the ever growing non-local population sooner rather than later, he said.

Like in Assam where an NRC ha§ been published to protect indigenous people, there is a growing need to publish a similar NRC for Manipur so that necessary measures can be taken up to check influx, Edison said.

He said that the three student bodies had submitted memoranda twice to Chief Minister N Biren for preparation of an NRC for the State.

The first memorandum was submitted last year while the second one was submitted in February this year.

A fresh memorandum which would also serve as a reminder of the earlier memoranda would be submitted to the Chief Minister on Monday, he informed.

Welcoming Chief Minister N Biren's statement that State level and district level monitoring committees have been set up to check infiltration by immigrants from Assam into Manipur in the back drop of the publication of NRC in Assam, Edison said that the State Government should take up effective measures as there is a strong possibility of infiltration by a large number of non-local people from Assam out of the 40 lakh people who are not listed in Assam's NRC.

To study the growth/decline of the local population of Manipur and growth of non-local population, a Population Commission should be established, he demanded.

Stating that the three student bodies launched a campaign on the growing need for preparing an NRC for the State since 2017, Edison said that the same campaign would be further extended.

He added that a leaflet written in different dialects would be distributed to the people.

Notably, the Working Committee on Updation of NRC Manipur comprising of nine members drawn from the three student bodies is headed by Edison Nameirakpam as its convenor.

Comment