Our Correspondent
Imphal, June 6 (EMN): Manipur-based umbrella bodies -- Co-ordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (Cocomi) and United Naga Council (UNC) -- demanded a “scientific and reliable data on the population of native people as well as bonafide citizens of the state” to ascertain the legality of citizenships and the landholdings.
Informing that a joint memorandum has been submitted to Chief Minister N Biren Singh in this regard, L Ratankumar Singh, Co-ordinator of Cocomi, an umbrella body of several civil society organisations (CSOs), while addressing media in Imphal on Sunday said that they have also adopted a few resolutions, which include adoption of National Register of Citizenship (NRC) to scientifically identify illegal immigrants to push them back and check further illegal infiltration into the state.
A lot of systematic work and data collection is required prior to the adoption of NRC for which, a competent independent body is needed so that the state government can execute the necessary actions according to the recommendation and advice of such a body, he said.
Stating that the second resolution is establishment of a competent state population commission by the government at the earliest, he said a process of de-recognising illegal and fake villages with a cut off base year must be put into proper regulation as it has become a burden for the government exchequer. Random village recognition must be stopped without verification, he added.
Claiming that there are a number of abnormal explosion of villages in five districts -- Chandel, Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Pherzawl and Tengnoupal -- in the last few decades, he informed that the number of villages in Meitei and Naga dominated areas remained constant.
Responding to a question, Kho John, President of UNC said, “We sat for five meetings and resolved to submit the joint memorandum because of the necessity. This is mainly for the younger generation to survive.”
Other members of Cocomi and UNC were also present during the press conference.