The Manipur government has assured action on demands for updating the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and appealed to the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) to put its September 30 deadline on hold.
The government had accepted memos from the JFD and it was taking their demands seriously, Sapam Ranjan, a government spokesperson, said. He made the mention in his press meet at his residence in Konthoujam of the Imphal West on Saturday.
The JFD has been demanding 5 key demands, one of which was an amendment to the NRC with 1951 as the base year. The demand has been tied to the worry of the organisation over the identification of indigenous people of Manipur and it has been demanding that the NRC process must be completed prior to the Census.
That is to say, one of the slogans of the campaign is ‘No NRC, No Census’. The JFD has been urging the state government to also ensure that the Centre brings the NRC up to date at 1951 year as the cut-off or base year.
The government is trying to act on demands being made in the memoranda, Ranjan said. He asked the JFD to allow the administration more time and that it provide assistance.
I would want to request the JFD to put the deadline aside and then everybody collectively work towards it,” Ranjan added.
The JFD has been protesting, holding public meetings and organizing other acts of agitation in response to the NRC demand. It also held demonstrations in September, and member-legislators petitioned the parliament to amend the NRC by fixing year 1951 as the base year.
The Manipur Legislative Assembly had also passed a resolution on September 2, urging the Centre to revise the NRC before the Census but the JFD has still been pushing for inclusion of the base year as 1951.
Ranjan urged all Manipur residents to join the government as the concerns raised by the organisation were regarding the future and development of the state. The government is now expected to keep the deliberation on NRC demand and the subsequent proceedings of the process with the JFD.