Census before NRC will invite public wrath: AMSU
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 04 2026: Conducting any census related exercises without updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) first would invite public outrage and intense agitations, AMSU secretary general Salam Changkhonba has warned the Government.

Manipur at present is facing serious crises as a result of illegal immigration.

Holding census at this juncture without updating the NRC first to identify illegal immigrants would compound the problems.

AMSU will not remain silent if the Government forces its way and conducts the census without updating the NRC first, Chang-khonba said.

The AMSU leader said this during an academic campaign held at Nawa Sindamshang, Thoubal Kshetri Leikai, as a part of "Realisation Month" observance.

Changkhonba said AMSU is observing the "Realisation Month" comme- morating two comrades who were martyred in the "Go Back Foreigners" campaign in 1980 .

Manipur shares a porous border with Myanmar, and hence, the State has been facing the issue of illegal immigration for many decades, Changkhonba said.

He said the May 3, 2023 conflict, which has remained unresolved, is a result of infiltration by "Chin-Kuki narco-terrorists" .

The "Go Back Foreigners" campaign of the 1980 was aimed at stopping the flow of illegal immigrants into Manipur from neighbouring countries.

It resul- ted in the signing of two accords, one in 1980 and another in 1994, with the Government to identify illegal immigrants.

However, these accords have never been implemented by the Government, Changkhonba said.

To resolve the crises Manipur is facing at present, the Government of India and the State must implement the accords.

AMSU is fully prepared to launch agitation and start a public movement to keep the pressure on the Government to implement the accords, Changkhonba said.

While the accords have not been implemented yet, the State is seen preparing to hold census exercises starting September this year.

The proposed census exercise, if conducted before an exercise like the NRC, would invite people's wrath, Changkhonba added.

Updating the NRC to identify illegal immigrants settling in Manipur must be a priority and a prerequisite for conducting the census.

In case the Government attempts to force its way and conduct the proposed census before NRC exercise, AMSU along with the people will launch intense agitations, he added.

As parts of the Realisation Month Academic Campaign, poster campaigns were held at different places in Thoubal.

Comment