Biren canvasses for BJP candidate with NRC, indigeneity
Process to update NRC set rolling : CM
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 03 2024: Saying that the process of updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the context of Manipur has begun, Chief Minister N Biren Singh has said that the result of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections will determine whether the popular and persistent demand of the people to roll out NRC in the State was raised sincerely in the interest of Manipur or not.

The Chief Minister made the remark during a Mahilla Sammelan held as part of the poll campaign of BJP Lok Sabha election candidate in Inner Manipur Parliamentary seat Th Basanta Kumar at Thambal Shanglen, Nityaipat Chuthek today.

At the programme organised by the BJP State unit, the Chief Minister recounted how people staged different forms of agitation to update and implement NRC in Manipur.

Biren canvasses for BJP candidate with NRC, indigeneity

This election is a test for the Meitei people as they can either vote for BJP who advocates implementation of NRC in Manipur and Rahul Gandhi's Congress who opposes it, N Biren continued.

Saying something and doing something else won't work, the Chief Minister maintained and added that love for the motherland should not be partial or half hearted.

People should vote for BJP if they sincerely want implementation of NRC in the State, N Biren said and reiterated that the result of the Lok Sabha elections will reveal whether the people were honest while demanding identification of illegal immigrants through NRC or not.

Saying that people who don't love the State and her people from the heart should not contest in the election, N Biren said that dishonest people engaging in politics will be detrimental to the State.

"We politicians should be sincere," he added.

The Chief Minister went on to state that a section of people criticising the policy and programme of the Government without understanding the underlying issues is unfortunate and hard to digest.

Saying that it is BJP which rescued Manipur and the party will continue to safeguard the State, N Biren added that people ought to remember there are many who want to break the State apart.

The future of Manipur will be put at stake if the indigenous people of Manipur are not protected and fence the Indo-Myanmar border while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are at the helm, N Biren maintained.

Claiming that a mutual trust has started building among the Government recognised tribes and indigenous people of Manipur, N Biren said that it is the illegal immigrants which the BJP is against.

BJP is not against any community, the Chief Minister added.

The Inner Line Permit System has been implemented in Manipur with 1961 as the base year to determine the native residents but there is no such thing as a base year for the indigenous people, he said and added that the Government has started the identification process of the non natives.

Further stating that the BJP Government wants the people of Manipur to live with dignity without compromising the unity and integrity of the State, the Chief Minister maintained that the BJP won't work against the interest of the State to simply curry favour with the voters.

The State Government won't compromise even an inch of Manipur's land, he assured.

Continuing that the indigenous people of Manipur cannot be separated, N Biren added that the resolution taken in the recent Assembly session to update and implement NRC in Manipur was historic as the Private Member Resolution to roll out NRC was moved by a Naga MLA and supported by a Meitei Pangal MLA.

Claiming that some people wrongly accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of remaining silent on Manipur violence and the same made them blush with embarrassment for some time, N Biren reminded that the Prime Minister spoke about Manipur on the floor of the Parliament on August 10 last and from Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day on August 15 .

He also said that Union Home Amit Shah spoke for nearly two and a half hours solely on issues in Manipur during a Parliament session and played the recording of the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister speeches.

Maintaining that the decision to suspend Free Movement Regime (FMR) with Myanmar and fence the Indo-Myanmar were taken by the Prime Minister, N Biren added that FMR was suspended as 996 new and unauthorised villages emerged in Manipur.

Appealing to the BJP supporters to campaign for the party and its partner NPF at the Outer Constituency, N Biren asked its supporters to not lose hearts.

He also appealed to its supporters to ensure the return of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the third term.

BJP State unit president A Sharda Devi and other party leaders also attended the programme among others.