JFD lines up general strike, agitation
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 28 2026: Aggrieved and disappointed by the Government's failure to give any concrete response to the people's collective demand for updating the NRC before census, the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) has lined up a series of agitation including general strikes.

The JFD has announced that there will be a 24-hour general strike all over the State from August 31 midnight till September 1 midnight in case the Government does not make an official announcement by August 31 to update the NRC with respect to Manipur.

The JFD today held a meeting with the public for two hours at the Citizen Club's community hall, Soibam Leikai.

JFD lines up general strike, agitation

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, JFD convenor Jeetendra Ningomba decried that, in spite of the massive protest, the State Government has been conducting census training programmes surreptitiously and forcibly.

At the same time, the Government of India has been making preparations in full swing for the first phase of the census operations scheduled from September 1, 2026 .

The JFD and the people have been consistently and vociferously demanding updation of the NRC before census with different modes of agitation including general strike but the Government has been paying no heed, Jeetendra said.

"We received reports that the Government has been conducting census training programmes in online mode after people foiled physical training programmes at different places," he said.

Although the Chief Minister, the ex-Chief Minister and some MLAs went to Delhi and met with a few Union Ministers including Home Minister Amit Shah purportedly to press the demand for updating the NRC, none of them has yet presented a concrete report of their meetings with the Central leaders, the JFD convenor said.

Neither the Chief Minister nor the Government has not made any concrete statement in favour of updating the NRC before census operations, he said.

The JFD convenor said that the two-hour long meeting held today adopted a number of resolutions regarding the next course of action in pursuit of the collective wish for updating the NRC .

He said that the upcoming State Assembly session scheduled from September 2 to 7 must adopt a concrete resolution to put off all census operations until the NRC is updated with 1951 as the base year.

He also appealed to all sections of people to march to the Manipur Legislative Assembly on September 7, the last day of the upcoming session and see if the House has adopted any resolution in favour of the people's collective demand "No NRC, No Census" .

If the State Assembly fails to adopt a resolution in line with the people's collective wish, there will be an indefinite general strike all over the State from September 7 midnight, he said.

In case, the State Assembly adopts a resolution in line with the people's wish, the State Government will be given 48 hours (September 7-8) to put the same resolution into action.

However, if the State Government cannot produce an order to the effect that the census has been deferred within the stipulated period of 48 hours, there will be a State-wide general strike from September 10 until the census operations are deferred, the JFD convenor said.

He also appealed to all sections of people to suspend all kinds of merry-making and entertainment programmes including musical concerts, plays (Leelas), cinemas, tombola games (housie), mela etc until the collective demand "No NRC, No census" is achieved.

On the other hand, a bike rally was taken out today in Andro AC under the banner "No NRC, No Census; Save Manipur" .

The rally was flagged off from Angtha Maning Leikai and it passed through Poiroukhongjil, Tulihal, Top Chingtha, Ningthounai, Yambem, Changamdabi, Nungaipokpi, Nongbram, Keithelmanbi, Andro Torongthel, Andro Sanapat, Andro, Uchol, Huikap and Ngariyan before ending at the starting point.