JFD students lock govt offices in Manipur, intensify NRC-before-Census stir

Members of the Students’ Wing of the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) locked several government offices in Manipur on Friday as the organisation intensified its campaign demanding that the National Register of Citizens be updated before the Census is conducted in the State.

Student activists visited government establishments to check whether they were functioning during the boycott called by the organisation and locked some offices that were found open. The action marked a fresh phase in an agitation that has already witnessed rallies, demonstrations, attempts to shut government establishments and a 48-hour general strike. The JFD has maintained that Census operations should be deferred until an NRC exercise is undertaken to identify people it alleges are illegal immigrants.

Boycott follows strike

The government-office boycott began on August 20, immediately following the general strike organised over the same demand. JFD activists said the campaign would continue until the authorities took concrete steps to defer Census-related activities and begin the process of updating the NRC in Manipur.

The organisation has framed the demand around concerns over demographic change and its possible consequences for the State’s indigenous population. Protesters argue that conducting the Census without first identifying alleged illegal immigrants could affect population figures and, eventually, the delimitation of constituencies and political representation.

The JFD has consequently adopted the slogan “No NRC, No Census” during its campaign. Its supporters maintain that establishing the citizenship status of residents before population enumeration is necessary to ensure what they describe as a fair Census and subsequent delimitation process.

Agitation spreads across districts

The campaign has gathered momentum across several valley districts over the past week. Demonstrations have been held in Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal and Kakching, with students and women participating in rallies demanding that Census-related activities be halted.

Earlier, protesters gathered outside the Directorate of Census Operations at Porompat in Imphal East and attempted to lock its main gate. Security personnel prevented them from entering the premises, leading to a confrontation in which police used tear gas to disperse the crowd. Protesters have also marched towards Deputy Commissioners’ offices in different districts as part of the campaign.

In Thoubal, women protesters attempted to lock the gate of the Deputy Commissioner’s complex before representatives were allowed to meet district authorities. Similar demonstrations were reported in Kakching, where protesters opposed ongoing Census preparations.

The agitation has also disrupted preparations connected with the Census, with training-related activities affected in parts of the State.

Students meet Chief Minister

The escalation comes a day after representatives of the JFD Students’ Wing met Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh following a protest rally in Imphal. Students from several schools and colleges marched from THAU Ground in Thangmeiband towards the Chief Minister’s residence before being stopped by police at Khuyathong.

A 10-member delegation was subsequently permitted to meet the Chief Minister. The students urged the State government to press the Centre for an NRC exercise before the Census and sought identification of illegal immigrants before population enumeration begins.

The Chief Minister assured the delegation that the NRC issue would be taken up for discussion during the next session of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, scheduled to begin on September 2. He also reiterated the State government’s support for an NRC exercise while stressing the need to ensure that such a process is conducted accurately.

Pressure on government grows

The continuing protests have placed the State administration under pressure as it attempts to balance the demonstrators’ demands with preparations for the national Census. The dispute has also acquired wider political significance because population figures form the basis for several administrative and representational decisions.

For the JFD, the concern is closely linked to delimitation. The organisation argues that any future redrawing of constituency boundaries should rely on population data compiled only after questions surrounding alleged illegal immigration have been addressed.

The campaign has now moved through several stages — public meetings, student demonstrations, torch rallies, a general strike and the boycott of government offices. Friday’s locking of offices indicates that the organisation intends to maintain pressure rather than allow the agitation to subside after the strike.

With the State Assembly due to meet early next month, the NRC-before-Census demand is likely to remain a significant political issue. The JFD has made clear that it intends to continue its movement until it receives a concrete response, turning what began as opposition to Census preparations into a broader campaign over citizenship, demographic concerns and future political representation in Manipur.