Six injured as NRC protest turns violent in Manipur

IMPHAL — At least six persons, including five women, were injured when a protest demanding the implementation of National Register of Citizens (NRC) before conducting the Census turned violent at the iconic Nupi Keithel (women’s market) in Imphal on Wednesday.

Women vendors of the market, along with supporters of the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD), staged the protest holding placards reading “No NRC, No Census” and “Resolve Present Crisis First, Census After.”

The demonstrators later attempted to march towards the Manipur Legislative Assembly, where the seventh session of the 12th Manipur Assembly is currently underway.

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However, a large number of security personnel deployed at the market area prevented the protesters from proceeding, leading to a confrontation.

Security forces reportedly fired several rounds of tear gas shells and mock bombs to disperse the crowd, resulting in injuries to around six demonstrators.

The protesters demanded that the government defer the census until the identification of illegal immigrants allegedly blending with indigenous communities is completed and the NRC is implemented in the state.

“The NRC should be updated first before conducting the census,” a demonstrator said.

Meanwhile, raising the issue in the Manipur Assembly on the third day of the ongoing session, Congress Legislature Party leader K Meghachandra urged the government to defer the census until internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by the ethnic conflict are properly resettled.

Responding to the issue, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh said that the government has already communicated with the authorities concerned and that the census process can begin after completion of preparatory steps such as house listing and special intensive revision.

He also acknowledged suggestions that the census exercise should consider the situation of internally displaced persons in the state.