‘No NRC, No Census’: Manipur Students Call Two-day Strike, Demand NRC First

A two-day general strike has been called in Manipur amid protests against the Census exercise, with student groups and civil society organisations demanding that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) be implemented in the state first.

The Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) Student Wing has announced the strike from midnight on August 17. The group has appealed to people to support the agitation and put pressure on the authorities to conduct the NRC before the Census.

The house-listing phase of Census 2027 is scheduled to begin with self-enumeration from August 17, while the main house-listing exercise will be held from September 1 to September 30.

The strike comes amid growing protests in Imphal and other valley districts against preparations for the Census. Students, market bodies and civil society organisations have opposed the exercise and threatened to boycott it.

The strike has received support from several civil society organisations, including the United Meitei Naga Committee Manipur, Federation of Naga Civil Society (FNCC), Chandel Naga People’s Organisation, United Meitei Pangal Committee and Native People’s Committee Manipur.

Protests Across Imphal Valley

On Monday, several civil society groups staged protests at different locations across the Imphal valley in support of the JFD's demand.

Khwairamband Keithel, the state's largest commercial hub, remained closed after the three women's markets held public meetings and subsequently shut down in support of the agitation.

Tension was also reported at DM University, where students reportedly clashed with police while attempting to stop Census-related training at the DM College of Teacher Education and Hindi Teacher Training College. At least two student protesters reportedly sustained injuries in an alleged police lathicharge.

A large student rally began from Kwakeithel and moved towards Keisampat, with protesters raising slogans against the Census and calling for a collective boycott.

At CC Higher Secondary School in Imphal, students staged another protest. The All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU), which joined the agitation, also opposed reports of a possible land swap between India and Myanmar, saying such a move could affect Manipur's territorial integrity.

Police Disperse Protesters

The protests followed a demonstration outside the Directorate of Census Operations in Imphal on Sunday.

Members of the JFD Students' Wing gathered outside the directorate at Porompat in Imphal East district and demanded that no Census-related activity be undertaken before the NRC is implemented.

Security personnel stopped the protesters from entering the premises. They also attempted to lock the main gate, following which police fired tear gas shells to disperse them. One protester sustained minor injuries, police said.

Earlier, on Friday, protesters had disrupted a training programme for enumerators and supervisors at Moirang College in Bishnupur district. Carrying placards reading "No NRC, No Census", they forced the trainees to leave before the training could begin.

JFD Students' Wing convenor Naorem Wangamba said the group wanted the NRC to identify illegal immigrants before the Census.

"We have been demanding NRC to identify illegal immigrants. However, the government is seeking to conduct the census without carrying out NRC. NRC is important to save the future generations," Wangamba said.

The JFD has demanded a halt to Census-related activities until illegal immigrants are identified, using 1951 as the base cut-off year.

(with agency inputs)