Manipur: Kuki-Zo Council opposes NRC before Census, calls demand ‘premature’

Kuki-Zo Council rejects NRC-before-Census demands in Manipur

The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), a Kuki-Zo apex body in Manipur, has opposed demands by some Meitei and Naga groups for implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the Census, calling the demand “premature and unjustified.” In a statement issued on Sunday, the council said the NRC was a national exercise under the authority of the central government and that there was no basis for any Manipur-based group or the state government to dictate its timing or implementation.

“Given the falsehoods and propaganda surrounding our population and demographic status during the Manipur conflict, an impartial Census is essential to establish facts and dispel unfounded claims,” the statement, signed by its secretary for Information and Publicity, Ginza Vualzong, said.

The council also welcomed delimitation, which was delayed since 2021 due to the pandemic, to ensure fair representation based on verified demographic data. It argued that there is no provision for any community or state government to “unilaterally initiate or conduct a separate NRC” in a particular state at its own discretion.

“Accordingly, there is no legitimate basis for any Manipur-based group or the state government to dictate the timing or implementation of the national NRC exercise,” the Kuki-Zo body said.

Census as the appropriate mechanism

Concerning the Kuki-Zo community, the council alleged that the demand for an NRC before the Census was largely based on “unsubstantiated allegations and speculation.” It maintained that the Census was the appropriate source for demographic data and said demanding an NRC before the completion and publication of Census 2027 results was premature.

Such demographic concerns should first be examined through credible and verified data, with Census being an appropriate mechanism for establishing population figures and demographic trends, as per the council.

The KZC also cited the experience of Assam, where the NRC exercise conducted pursuant to the Assam Accord of 1985 excluded around 19 lakh people from the final list and remained caught in legal challenges and appeals before the Foreigners Tribunals.

Competing demands and agitations

Nagas and Meiteis have been demanding NRC before Census 2027. Members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress and other civil bodies belonging to different communities, including Naga, Meitei and others, have been opposing the conduct of the Census until the NRC with base year 1951 is completed. A series of agitations, including sit-ins and night rallies, has been carried out in the valley areas of Manipur in opposition to the Census until the NRC is completed.

Government's position

On August 20, Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh assured a delegation of student representatives that the state government supports “effort-free” implementation of NRC. He assured them that the government will move to discuss the implementation of NRC in Manipur in the assembly session beginning September 2.

The KZC's statement comes amid heightened tensions in the state over the issue, with schools and colleges reportedly shut in some areas due to the ongoing agitations.