Identify, deport illegals before delimitation: RS MP
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 11 2025: Rajya Sabha MP Sanajaoba Leishemba has called on the Union government to prioritise the identification and deportation of illegal immigrants from Myanmar and Bangladesh residing in Manipur before initiating the delimitation exercise.

Speaking during Monday's Parliament session under the "special mention" category, the Manipur royal scion warned that pushing for the delimitation without first resolving the issue of illegal immigrations would be a "huge misfortune" for the state's indigenous communities.

Sanajaoba emphasised that the process should be undertaken with 1961 as the base year, arguing that only by addressing the influx of foreign nationals can the state ensure fair representation and preserve the rights of its native population.

He stated that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had, on May 19, 2025, instructed states and union territories to identify and deport illegal immigrants from the two neighbouring countries within one month.

However, he said, no concrete measures had been taken so far.

"If the census is carried out before solving the illegal immigrant problem, it will create instability in Manipur and infringe upon the constitutional rights of the indigenous people," Sanajaoba told Parliament.

He underscored the importance of census data as the foundation for development projects and the delimitation process, warning that flawed figures would lead to flawed governance.

Citing past demographic records, the MP said that the 2001 and 2011 census reports showed an "unnatural increase" in population in several districts, sparking disputes and suspicion.

He said that no corrective action had been taken despite raising repeated concerns.

Highlighting anomalies, Sanajao-ba pointed to the three subdivisions of Senapati district - Mao-Maram, Paomata, and Purul - which together recorded an extraordinary 202.88 per cent population growth between 2001 and 2011 .

According to census data, Mao-Maram reported decadal population growth from 39.16 per cent in 2001 to 136.33 per cent in 2011 - Paomata saw an increase from 39.17 per cent to 99.18 per cent, and Purul climbed from 39.16 per cent to 120.38 per cent in the same period.

He also detailed similar irregularities between 1991 and 2001 in seven hill subdivisions of the state, which recorded abnormal growth of about 40 per cent.

Among them, Chakpikarong posted a staggering increase of 100.18 per cent, Machi recorded 65.46 per cent, Kamjong 60.95 per cent, Tengnoupal 54.48 per cent, Saitu-Gamphajol 54.12 per cent, Chandel 41.70 per cent, and Churachandpur 40.77 per cent.

Sanajaoba argued that such growth rates could not be explained by natural demographic trends and likely reflected the settlement of undocumented immigrants over the years.

He warned that conducting delimitation or census without addressing this would distort political representation and undermine the rights of Manipur's original inhabitants.

Reiterating his appeal, the MP urged the Parliament to take urgent and decisive action to identify and send back illegal immigrants before undertaking either the census or the delimitation exercise, stating that it was the only way to protect Manipur's demographic integrity and ensure justice for its indigenous people.

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