Census Committee meeting held
Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Networ

Imphal, July 17 2013: Virtually sick of repeated attempts to push for inclusion into the Census record of India even after two decades of exclusion and subsequent denial of political and economic benefits in three sub-division of Senapati District, the Naga People's Organization (NPO) today held a meeting of its Census Committee.

Participated and endorsed by Senapati district civil organizations including tribe hohos, SDSA, SDWA, KSTC, intellectuals, social workers and dignitaries, the meeting hinted at public outcry through mass agitation and last attempt representation to Government of India and Government of Manipur.

According to NPO Census committee which is headed by A.John, the house decided to call an NPO presidential emergency meeting on 24th July, 2013 (Wednesday) and thereby decide the further course of agitation as per the wishes of the people.

Contending that, the attitude of the Manipur Government in addressing the Census issue of the three sub-divisions of Mao-Maram, Purul and Paosmata has been neglectful and indifferent against the wishes of the people of the District.

Moreover, even the re-verification process of the census conducted by RGI officials last year has been stalled without any reason.

Repeated attempts to address the issue have been without any positive result till today stated one of the committee members.

Disclosing the road ahead, the Emergency Presidential meeting to be held on 24th July, 2013 will be crucial and is expected to decide a public hearing and immediate launch a mass agitation.

Not indulging into what type of agitation will be launched, the official said that, the said agitation will be "serious and massive" .

It may be remembered that, after repeated exclusion of the three sub-divisions in the 2001 and 2011 in the Provisional Census report published, the NPO Census Committee was formed to address the issue.

The Committee has also pointed serious "tempering of Census documents" during census exercise conducted in 2011 by some supervisors and enumerators directed allegedly by high officials in State Census Department and officials.

The apex body also alleged that, the State Census Office was involved in tempering and cancellation of many existing names and illogical maintaining of certain limited perce- ntage of the population record despite its existing population recorded by Government appointed enumera- tors and supervisors during census operations.

It has also filed a writ petition in the Guwahati High Court and then referred the case to Supreme Court which has undergone more than 10 hearings till date.

According to the NPO, as per the provisional census figures of 2001, the delimitation process if conducted was to benefit Senapati District with three more Manipur Assembly seats at its population recorded at 379,214 .

Sadly, with the exclusion of the 2011 census again, the delimitation process seems to elude Senapati District and deny all political justice till today.

Ironically, those Districts of Bishnupur, Thoubal, Imphal West and Imphal East continue to enjoy the assembly seats at the expense of Senapati, Ukhrul and Chandel districts, the NPO stated.

The re-verification process of the Census conducted by Registrar of India last year remain inconclusive and reasons as to why it could not continue the process is unknown to the people, it added.

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