Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee demands Census deferment in Manipur

IMPHAL — The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) has demanded deferment of the Census exercise in Manipur until normalcy is restored and all internally displaced persons (IDPs) are resettled at their respective places.

Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan in Imphal on April 4, MPCC president Okram Ibobi Singh said that taking up the Census process under the prevailing conflict situation would produce inaccurate and unreliable data as thousands of people are currently displaced.

Stating that census being the foundation for the country’s planning and policy besides allocation of resources etc at the national level, he said, “If the exercise is carried out in the current situation, it will not reflect the correct population data.”

Ibobi also noted that India has been conducting the Census every ten years since 1951, and while it is essential for all citizens to be included. But the prevailing situation in the state will be difficult to ensure accuracy.

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Revisiting the concerns arising from the 2011 Census he also pointed out that certain districts in the state recorded abnormally high population growth exceeding the national average.

He said such anomalies had earlier encouraged the Congress to oppose delimitation exercises in the state. He also urged the central authority to consider postponing the exercise until stability is restored.

Lok Sabha MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, MLA and former assembly speaker Th Lokeshwar, Congress working committee member and former deputy chief minister Gaikhangam were also present during the press conference.