JFD reiterates call to boycott census operations
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 17 2026: The scheduled launch of the self-enumeration exercise, a part of the houselisting operation related to Census 2027, today prompted the JFD to issue a fresh call to the public to boycott and refrain from participating in the exercise.

At a massive protest demonstration at Khwairamband Keithel, JFD secretary (organisation) Longjam Ratankumar said that the Government should not proceed further with the census related exercise and invite more trouble in the already troubled State.

Updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the census will help detect foreigners and protect the interests of the indigenous communities and the State's future.

Until the Government takes up steps to update the NRC, the public should boycott, not cooperate and participate in any census related exercises including the self-enumeration operation, he said.

Notably, the self-enumeration exercise which began today is part of a houselisting operation, scheduled to begin from September 1 to 30, Ratankumar said.

During the sit-in protest, held under the banner of the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD), the womenfolk, representing the public, warned the Government of "serious consequences and unwanted incidents" if it goes ahead and proceeds with the scheduled census operations.

During the protest demonstration, Ratankumar said the Centre and the State Government failing to address the legitimate demand of the public for an NRC update is unfortunate.

While infiltration from across the border is threatening National security, both the Centre and the State have unfortunately not taken up any steps to address the issue, he said.

The public's and the JFD's demand to the Government to update the NRC for Manipur with 1951 as the base year is a rightful and legitimate demand which will serve Manipur's and India's interests, he said.

JFD's demand for NRC is Constitutional, and is in line with various Acts of the country including the Foreigners Act 1946, Citizenship Act 1955 and Citizenship Rule 2003 etc, which prohibit illegal and unauthorised entry and settlement of foreigners in the country.

The State and the Centre failing to consider such a demand is very unfortunate, Ratankumar said.

The demand for NRC-like exercise to detect illegal immigrants or foreigners in Manipur is not new, he said.

While the State Government and a student body had previously signed two accords, one in 1980 and another in 1994, to detect foreigners, no exercise has been carried out in Manipur till today to detect and deport foreigners.

The Government is yet to enforce both the accords, he added.

The Government's prolonged failure to enforce the two accords or update the NRC has now created a huge mess in the State in the form of a violent conflict, which stems from rampant illegal immigration, Ratankumar said.

The ongoing conflict, which erupted on May 3, 2023, is a result of the Government's failure to timely detect and deport illegal immigrants.

Indigenous people of the State are being targeted, attacked and killed in the more than 3 years long conflict, he added.

Troubled by the conflict, the environment in Manipur is also not conducive for census operation.

Such a census would yield erroneous data, and a delimitation based on it will be a huge loss for indigenous population and the State, Ratankumar said.

While JFD is taking up every effort to stop all census operations, people should refrain from participating in any of the exercises including the self-enumeration related to houselisting, he said.

Ratankumar also urged Government employees working as enumerators and supervisors to be aware of the ramifications of the census exercise and stay away from the operations in the interests of the indigenous population and the future of the State.

Individuals concerned shall bear the sole responsibility for any consequence that may arise out of the public movement, he added.

Speaking at the demonstration, Khwairamband Nupi Keithel Sinpham Amasung Saktam Kanba Lup (KNKSSKL) general secretary Thingujam ongbi Rani said conducting census operations before updating NRC is unacceptable.

If the Government remains adamant and decides to forcibly go ahead with the census operations, it will invite the wrath of the public and cause many unwanted incidents, she said.

As people are demanding, the Government must stop and postpone all census operations until NRC is updated and internally displaced persons are allowed to return to their homes, she added.

Conducting houselisting exercises when thousands have lost their homes, and are living in relief camps is devoid of logic and unacceptable, she said.

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