IMPHAL, AUG 16: A group of protesters demanding NRC updation before the census operation in Manipur clashed with the security forces outside the premises of the directorate of census operations in Imphal on Sunday.
Some members of the student wing of the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) under which Sunday’s protest was organized sustained injuries as the police and security forces deployed crowd control measures.
The JFD has been launching various forms of protests under the banner “No NRC, No Census” in line with a call for boycott of the parent body (JFD) pressing the government to defer the census operations in the state until the NRC (National Register of Citizens) is updated. The student wing of the JFD is leading active protests under the banner “No NRC, No Census” and continuing the protests. Members of the student wing on Sunday who converged outside the office premises of the directorate of census operations at Porompat in Imphal East district, opposed ongoing census-related activities.
Tension escalated when protesters reportedly attempted to enter the office premises before trying to lock down the office gate.
The protesters confronted the security forces that tried to stop them from entering the office premises without prior permission from the competent authorities. As the protester refused to disperse despite repeated warning from the police that arrived instantly, the security forces deployed for crowd control fired several rounds of tear gas to disperse the protesters.
In the melee, some protesters sustained injuries, with one of the protesters was allegedly hit by a tear gas shell on his leg.
The student wing of JFD has also been organizing protests disturbing official Census training programs for enumerators and supervisors at various locations and human chains and warning of stronger forms of agitation if its demand for deferment of the census operation is not addressed.
The core demands of the JFD are deferment of the Census exercise in Manipur until an NRC update is fully implemented and safeguarding indigenous demographic integrity against illegal immigration before population counts proceed.
Convener of the student wing of the JFD Naorem Wangamba warned that the wing would intensify its agitation if the government failed to address their demands.
He argued that the conduct of the Census without an NRC would be detrimental to the state, especially when the matter of undocumented migration, changes in demographic structure and a fair delimitation process is under consideration.
Notably, the JFD recently announced a boycott to the upcoming Census in Manipur until the NRC is updated, while appealing to people to approach their respective MLAs to press the government to fulfill the demand.