14 CSOs point finger at MP
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 04 2026: 14 Civil Society Organisations have accused MP Dr Bimol Akoijam of "misleading" the public on the NRC issue.

The MP's remark that "there is no record of NRC being conducted in 1951" is "misleading and counterproductive" to the public movement that has been pushing for NRC updation exercise in Manipur, said Shanta Nahakpam, convenor of the 14 CSOs.

Speaking to reporters at the office of the International Peace and Social Advancement (IPSA) at Keishampat, Shanta said the census conducted in 1951 included NRC exercise, and is reflected in the "administrative report" .

In fact, records have shown that an additional expense for Assam, Tripura and Manipur was sanctioned for the census which included NRC, Shanta said.

While the "administrative record" has shown that NRC forms were used in the 1951 census, the Member of Parliament has not cited such information and sought the data in the Parliament, Shanta said.

Shanta also accused "one Sharatchandra" of misrepresenting an RTI information on the 1951 census exercise.

While the information provided through the RTI reply clearly states that there is no document record on whether or not the census 1951 in Manipur included NRC exercise, "Sharatchandra misrepresented this information and misled the public saying that NRC was not done in Manipur in 1951," Shanta said.

"The RTI information was given by the Directorate of Census Operations at Porompat stating it did not maintain the record.

It was not a reply from the Centre [Government of India]," Shanta said.

Shanta further claimed that MP Dr Bimol has so far not sought any information or documents regarding NRC exercise in Manipur.

The MP should cite "the administrative report which indicates that the NRC was included in the 1951 census, and seek the relevant records in Parliament, Shanta said.

While the people of Manipur have been pushing for updating the NRC to identify genuine citizens and foreigners, MPs and politicians shouldn't confuse the people with NPR, census and NRC .

The National Population Register (NPR) is a register of residents and is totally different from the census.

The two cannot be treated as the same.

The NRC, on the other hand, is the register of citizens, an exercise through which citizens are identified, Shanta said.

Identifying illegal immigrants or foreigners who entered Manipur after 1951 and deporting them back to their original countries shouldn't anger anybody, Shanta added.

He called on the people to push for updating the NRC with 1951 as the base year.

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