Manipur: Women hold torch rallies, demand NRC update before Census; Kukis oppose calling it ‘premature’; All you need to know

On Sunday, August 23: thousands of women and members of civil society groups took to the streets in Manipur with torch rallies, demanding that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) be updated before the Census 2027 exercise in the state.

 

 

Protesters, including members of local women's social movements such as Meira Paibi and the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation, are pressing these demands for a few key reasons. Their primary concern is that carrying out a census without first identifying and separating illegal immigrants would end up granting the latter legal status as Indian citizens.

 

There is also growing apprehension that demographic changes and an unverified population count could undermine the political representation, land rights, and security of indigenous communities.

  

The activists held a torch rally organised by the Campaign for Justice and Fair Delimitation (JFD). The rally began at Kwakeithel Nganapithong and proceeded along the Tiddim Road.

 

 

A similar large-scale rally was held on Saturday night, August 22, in Imphal East’s Khurai area. Women from several localities under the Khurai Assembly constituency gathered at Lamlong Bazaar, marched through Tellipati and later returned to Lamlong.

 

Protesters raised slogans against conducting the Census without first updating the NRC. Several placards carried messages such as “NO NRC, NO CENSUS”, while protesters also demanded stronger measures to prevent the alleged entry of illegal immigrants into Manipur.

 

 

 

The protesters criticised political leaders for what they described as inaction on the NRC issue. The JFD has been leading the campaign and recently called a 48-hour general strike over its demands. The organisation has also announced torch rallies every night and a proposed boycott of state and Central government offices, with essential services such as healthcare, education, water supply and electricity exempted.

 

The demand has, however, faced opposition from Kuki-Zo organisations. The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has welcomed the Census 2027 exercise but rejected the demand for a separate or state-driven NRC process.

 

 

The KZC has argued that the NRC is a national exercise and that there is no provision for an individual state or community to unilaterally determine its implementation. It has also described demands for an NRC before the Census as premature, arguing that demographic concerns should first be assessed through credible Census data.

 

The debate also recalls the Assam NRC, conducted under the Assam Accord of 1985, which excluded around 19 lakh people from its final list and remains entangled in legal challenges and appeals.