NPO opposes to census re-verification
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network

Senapati, August 25 2013: The Naga People's Organization (NPO), the apex civil society organisation of Senapati district, in a meeting yesterday had expressed its shock over the recent decision of the State Government of Manipur to conduct another random Census re-verification exercise for 48 villages in three sub-divisions of Senapati district for "Abnormal population growth" .

"It is questionable of the hidden motive of the State Government to conduct such exercise even as similar re-verification process had been done for three days in 2011 in the presence of RGI officials, district administration and State Census Operation Director Y.Thamkishore," the NPO pointed out.

The Naga body then said that, the repeated rejection of the Census of Senapati district since two decades directly implies that, the district is not part of the State and that, any consequences arising out of the present Census issue will solely lie with the responsibilities of the present State Government.

The NPO then warned that, it is ready to invest any resources or take up its own course of action in the coming days to achieve the justice and 'rights denied' to the people for consecutively two decades.

On August 22, 2013, the Chief Minister had convened a high level meeting to jointly verify the 3 sub-division of Mao-Maram, Paomata and Purul census 2011 which faced a major criticism from the people of Senapati.

The NPO noted that, the decision of the Government surprised the people of Senapati after all revalidation as per the order of the deputy commissioner on February 1, 2011.Physical re-verification has been carried out on May 9, 2011 till May 11, 2011 .

Despite sincere support and cooperation extended to the census of 2011 at all levels, the chief minister of Manipur had sought another re-verification of 2011 censes.

"Is the policy and attitude of the Government towards the 3 sub-divisions meant that the population must tally the fixed estimation as per the wish of the State Government at any cause?," the NPO posed.

The NPO further questioned whether a government official or an individual has the authority to just fix an estimation of the growth of the demography and the reason for the Census survey that deploys heavy human resource and finance.

The then Deputy Commissioner Nidhi Kesarwani, IAS also the Principal Census Officer revealed that 46 villages out of the 138 from the 3 sub-divisions, were suspected to have had 'abnormal growth' and consequently re-verification of the population enumeration was conducted from 9/05/2011-11/05/2011," the NPO said.

"The State government's motive of repeated re-verification and estimation of the population is strongly detested by general public of the three sub-divisions as there is no provision in the Census Act of 1948.The NPO in despair also decried that the district of Senapati was/is part and parcel of Manipur but the motive of the state Government is highly suspected as it pursues the policy of alienation of the Nagas.

While the banners of the election carry integration of state, but it is a direct intimidation that threatens the co-existence within the state," the NPO stated.

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