Thadou fillip to NRC move
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: November 06, 2024 -

REGARDLESS of their complicity in the on-going communal conflict between Kuki and Meetei communities in the state, the resolution adopted at the Thadou convention held in Guwahati, which endorsed the government of Manipur's proposal for implementation of the National Register of Citizens in the state, could be construed as validation of consistent assertions by the government that cross border influx and illegal settlements in the hills are among the root causes of the crisis.

Considering the fact that the move for implementing NRC in the state had faced objection from certain quarters, it is obvious that the government of Manipur would feel elated that the Thadou community is not averse to the idea of constitutional safeguard for the indigenous communities.

Of late, apex Thadou organisations had been asserting that it is not a part of Kuki community and has an independent entity from Kuki, which had been insisting that in case NRC is to be implemented in the state then the base year proposed should not affect the Kuki population.

In the wake of the BJP government and Meetei CSOs pitching for the implementation of NRC in Manipur to curb illegal migrants from the neighbouring countries, especially from Myanmar, Kuki organisations had been contending that the objective is to vilify the Kuki population for the current crisis, though the demand was raised years before outbreak of the violence.

As such, the two-day convention in Guwahati concluding with the Thadou community resolving to support the NRC exercise if initiated by the government of India in the state of Manipur, should lay to rest the allegations by Kuki CSOs that such a move tantamount to administrative discrimination of the Kuki community.

Notwithstanding such false narratives, the statement issued by the Thadou Convention Guwahati Organising Committee (TCCOC) conveying, "We are of the view that the proposed exercise is aimed at securing Indian national interest and safeguarding the rights, welfare and interests of the citizens and indigenous communities.

We acknowledge the efforts of the state government in addressing the concerns of its citizens and ensuring their well-being," would be seen as justification of the government's objective.

Keeping aside the controversies that overshadowed conduct of the NRC in Assam some years back, there had been demands for similar exercise in the other north eastern states as well, majority of which are facing serious problems of illegal immigration as the region shares international borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar.

The north eastern states, bereft of mechanism effective enough to check unauthorised entry coupled with region's civil bodies casting aspersions on commitment and diligence of the border guarding forces, are hoping that the union government would initiate NRC implementation to detect and deport illegal immigrants before the region's indigenous communities are reduced to minorities in their own land.

Urgency of the matter could also be comprehended from the Coordination Committee Against Citizenship Amendment Act, Assam, petitioning the Registrar General of India for publication of the final draft of the NRC, which was conducted as per the directive of the Supreme Court.

As such, the Thadou convention lending support to implementation of NRC in Manipur should serve as a stimulant for the state government to expedite relevant formal process for the same, rather than according importance to voice of the anti-NRC lobby.