Manipur Chief Minister Urges Public to Avoid NRC Protests

Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh appealed to the public on August 30 and 31 to avoid bandhs and blockades, urging the use of democratic protest methods to prevent violence and public hardship. The appeal comes as the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) threatened a 24-hour general strike starting midnight on August 31, demanding that the central government defer the census and initiate the updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Agitations led by the JFD, supported by youth organizations and the Meira Paibi women's group, began on August 17. These protests previously resulted in a 48-hour shutdown on August 18 and 19, which forced the Education Department to close institutions for three days. While the JFD and the United Naga Council insist that NRC implementation must precede the census and delimitation exercises, the Kuki-Zo Council has rejected these demands as premature and unjustified, calling instead for an impartial census.

Singh warned that stringent action would be taken against those breaking the law, noting that daily wage earners and students suffer most during shutdowns. He traveled to New Delhi to discuss state issues and NRC implementation with central leaders, stating that recent campaigns have already yielded a positive response. The NRC issue is scheduled for discussion during the state Assembly session beginning September 2. Additionally, Singh welcomed the resumption of road transport services between Imphal, Dimapur, and Guwahati after a three-year hiatus.