Manipur CM thanks PM Modi, HM Shah for deferment of Census-2027
Imphal, Sep 5 (IANS) Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Saturday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for deferring the Census-2027 exercise in the state.
The Ministry of the Home Affairs on Saturday issued a Gazette notification deferring the houselisting operations for Census 2027 in Manipur.
A day before its pre-schedule start, the Central government on August 31 announced to defer the Census-2027 exercise in Manipur amid continuing protests and demands by various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) for the updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the conduct of the Census in the state.
Taking to his official X account, CM Khemchand Singh said: “A welcome and consequential decision for Manipur. The deferment of the Census, notified through the Gazette today, reflects the Union government’s considered attention to the genuine concerns of our people.”
“My sincere gratitude to PM Narendra Modi ji and Home Minister Amit Shah ji for their leadership and understanding. We remain resolute in safeguarding the legitimate interests of our people and strengthening peace, security and stability in Manipur,” the Chief Minister added.
The Manipur Assembly, on the first day of its Monsoon session on September 2, unanimously passed a resolution urging the Central government to update the NRC in the state before conducting Census-2027.
The State Assembly’s move came amid massive agitations by various CSOs, mainly in the five districts of the Imphal Valley region — Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching — demanding the updation of the NRC before the conduct of Census-2027.
The Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (CJFD) and various other CSOs have been holding massive agitations in the Imphal Valley region since August 17, demanding the updation of the NRC before the Census exercise is undertaken.
Meanwhile, the Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), the apex body of the Kuki-Zo tribal community in Manipur, has strongly opposed the demand for the updation of the NRC before the Census operations in 2027.
KZC Spokesperson Ginza Vualzong had said that there is no constitutional provision for conducting an NRC exercise exclusively in a particular state.
“The NRC is a national exercise. The Assam NRC was undertaken pursuant to the Assam Accord of 1985. Therefore, any attempt to conduct an NRC exclusively in Manipur is not only discriminatory but also unconstitutional,” he added.
–IANS
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