Imphal: The Manipur government has appealed to the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) to put its September 30 deadline on hold, saying the demands raised by the organisation over the National Register of Citizens (NRC) are being pursued by the state.
Government spokesperson and MLA Sapam Ranjan made the appeal on Saturday, saying the administration was taking the issues raised by the JFD seriously and was working towards addressing them.
One of the JFD’s key demands is the updating of the NRC using 1951 as the base year before the Census is conducted in the state. Ranjan pointed to the postponement of Census-related operations in Manipur and urged the organisation to allow the government additional time to pursue the matter with the Centre.
The appeal came amid the JFD Women’s Wing’s “No NRC, No Census” campaign, through which the organisation has been seeking support from legislators for its demands. The campaign had secured signatures from 18 MLAs by October 2, according to reports.
The JFD’s five-point memorandum includes a demand for updating the NRC with 1951 as the base year, along with measures concerning alleged illegal immigration, preservation of the original 1951 NRC records, formulation of a state population policy and strengthening of the Manipur State Population Commission.
The organisation had earlier asked the state government to provide a concrete response by September 30 and had called for the NRC exercise to be completed before the Census.
Ranjan urged the JFD to cooperate with the government rather than intensify its agitation, saying the issues raised by the campaign concern the future and development of Manipur.
The JFD has maintained that the NRC should be updated before Census operations are undertaken in the state, with 1951 as the base year. The campaign has also sought greater clarity from the government on the status of the postponed Census and its efforts to pursue NRC updation with the Centre.