FoH underscores urgency of NRC
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 25 2023:
Not introducing a proposal for implementation of the Natio-nal Register of Citizens (NRC) in the Assembly is very unfortunate and it is a sign of disregarding efforts to save the indigenous people of the State, said the Federation of Haomee (FOH) .
It reminded the Government that 18 communities had submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 12 last year urging him to implement NRC in Manipur with 1951 as the base year.
Similarly, they had also appealed to the Chief Minister, Ministers and MLAs for implementation of the NRC.
Subsequently, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India had written to the Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur on August 5, 2022 to furnish a reply to the applicants.
However, a reply has not been given till date, it said.
The National Register of Citizens (NRC) is a mechanism to identify foreigners and immigrants.
Not implementing it is a loss for the indigenous people of Mani-pur, said the federation.
On November 19, 2019, Home Minister Amit Shah had announced in the Parliament that the NRC would be implemented in every State of India.
Following this, the Federation of Haomee on April 26, 2021 submitted a representation to Home Minister Amit Shah apprising him of the illegal influx of immigrants in Manipur from outside the State and neighbouring countries.
Also, the Home Minister, on November 9, 2022, had instructed Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau (SIB) officers in all States to detect and deport back all illegal immigrants, it said.
The Federation of Haomee also shed light on the fact that on August 5, 1980, bodies including AMSCOC (All Manipur Students Coordinating Committee) had reached an agreement with the Government headed by then CM RK Dorendro that foreigners would be detected and deported from Manipur based on the Census Report of 1951 and the National Register of Citizens (1951) and Village Directorate 1951 .
Also, at the vungalow of the then Governor Lt General VK Nayar on November 9, 1994, an agreement was reached between a major student body and then Chief Secretary KK Sethy and HV Goswami, then Advisor to Governor representing the Government of Manipur.
The agreement stated that the State Government had agreed to take up the work for identification and detection of foreign Nationals immediately based on the Electoral Roll of 1948 using 26th January 1950 as the "cut off date" .
It was also mentioned that the 1951 Census Report, the 1951 National Register of Citizens and the 1951 Village Directory as available documents shall be utilized to begin the process of detection of names from the electoral Roll and subsequent deportation in accordance with the laws of the land.
Taking into account all these agreements, and considering the interest of the indigenous people, the Assembly should take a resolution to implement the NRC with 1951 as the base year, said the Federation of Haomee.