JFD leaders decry
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 20 2026: The Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) has condemned the alleged attempt by police to arrest some of its leaders for spearheading the movement to defer the census until the National Register of Citizens (NRC) is updated in Manipur.

Addressing a press briefing at Soibam Leikai today, JFD convener Jeetendra Ningomba claimed that a large number of police personnel arrived at his residence and that of the organisation's finance secretary, Sunil Karam, around midnight to arrest them.

If the Government wanted to hold talks with the JFD over the issue, it could have sent a formal invitation instead of taking such action, he added.

Saying that the police action would not help resolve the issue, he added that the move had caused hardship to their families as well as local residents.

Jeetendra, however, said that the alleged police action would not discourage them from continuing their efforts to safeguard the future of the State.

Saying that their movement had been successful so far, as it had prompted a delegation of MLAs to seek an audience with the Central leadership in New Delhi, he added that their demand for updating the NRC before conducting the census would continue.

JFD finance secretary Sunil Karam said that the police arriving at their residences at midnight and searching for them with torches under beds and in bathrooms, and returning again in the morning did not indicate that the Government was seeking to resolve the issue through dialogue.

The police officers and personnel should understand that the demand for updating the NRC is also in their interest, he said and added that the protest would continue until the Government takes a concrete decision to update the NRC .

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