JFD's campaign for NRC gains momentum
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 24 2026: Updating the National Register of Citizens is a must to safeguard and secure the State's integrity and the future of its people, said Jeetendra Ningomba, convenor, Campaign For Just And Fair Delimitation.

He said this at a public meeting held at Nungei Community Hall, Lilong, jointly organised by IYC Nungei, SYPO Nungei Makha Leikai, UYC Nungei Khunou, SUEDO Ningphi Khongbal Nungei and JFD .

A similar public meeting was also held today at Wangoo Ima Tampha Lairembi Laibung in Bishnupur district.

The JFD, Wangoo Ahallup Laipham Club, Meira Paibi and Arambai Tenggol, Unit 12 and 13 jointly organised the meeting.

Speaking at the Nungei meeting, Jeetendra said the National Register of Citizens (NRC) must be updated first before any census related exercise is taken up.

The Government is planning to begin census exercises from August 16 this year.

If this exercise is allowed to be conducted before updating the NRC, it would have serious ramifications that would hurt the interests of the indigenous people and genuine citizens of Manipur, Jeetendra said.

Conducting census operations before NRC could lead to identification of illegal immigrants as citizens, Jeetendra hinted.

Updating the NRC is crucial and a must for this will help identify illegal immigrants, foreigners and deport them to their respective countries.

Conducting the census exercise before updating the NRC will prove to be detrimental for "our future generations", Jeetendra said.

Explaining the importance of updating the NRC before the census, Jeetendra said past census exercises conducted in Manipur have been controversial.

The 1991 census in Manipur detected very high and abnormal population growth in many hill districts, and it revealed that thousands of illegal immigrants who had infiltrated into Manipur may have been included in the exercise, Jeetendra said.

To do away with such errors in census and record genuine data, the National Register of Citizens must be updated first to identify all illegal immigrants, Jeetendra added.

While the State seems to agree with the public demand for an NRC exercise, it has, however, not yet taken up any step towards it, Jeetendra added.

The Government planning to start census exercise this year and ignoring the demand for NRC exercise at this juncture is appalling, he said.

To safeguard Manipur's integrity and secure the future of its people, the Government must update the NRC first and conduct the census exercise, Jeetendra said.

The Government must take its responsibility to secure the State's future seriously, he added.

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