Imphal: Former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has said Union Home Minister Amit Shah responded positively to demands for updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state before the Census exercise.
Biren Singh made the remarks at Imphal airport on August 18 after returning from New Delhi, where he met Shah on August 17. He said the meeting focused extensively on Manipur’s security situation and several issues linked to the ongoing unrest.
According to the former chief minister, economic blockades and counter-blockades have contributed to a sharp rise in the prices of essential commodities, adding further pressure on the state’s population.
Biren Singh also referred to steps taken by the Manipur government in 2023 and 2024 towards implementing the NRC. He said the state Cabinet had taken decisions on the issue and that the Assembly had unanimously adopted resolutions supporting the exercise.
He further claimed that government tracking mechanisms had identified 9,026 unauthorised settlements in vulnerable areas, underscoring what he described as concerns over undocumented migration and border security.
Meanwhile, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla travelled to New Delhi following representations from civil society organisations and the Campaign for Just & Fair Delimitation (JFD).
Several indigenous organisations and civil society groups have been seeking verification of residents before the household enumeration and boundary-related processes associated with the Census move ahead.
The groups have urged authorities to first establish the citizenship status of undocumented residents before proceeding with the exercise. Although the Raj Bhavan has heard representations from various groups, protesters have pointed out that no formal written order has been issued to suspend the Census schedule.
The absence of such an official directive has contributed to continued protests, strikes and resistance to the ongoing administrative process in parts of Manipur.