Six injured as protests intensify over NRC demand ahead of Census 2027 in Manipur

Imphal, March 11: Protests linked to the Just Fair Delimitation (JFD) movement intensified in Manipur on Wednesday, with six persons injured after police dispersed demonstrators near Ima Keithel in Imphal and student activists locking down a government training institute over alleged preparations for the upcoming Census.

Officials said at least six persons, including five women and one man, were injured after police moved to disperse protesters staging a demonstration near the historic Ima Keithel (Ema Market).

The protest was organised by members of JFD demanding the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the Census is conducted.

Naorem Malemba, Assistant Organisation Secretary of JFD, said the protest was aimed at opposing the ongoing preparations for the census and delimitation process.

“We demand deferment of the ongoing census process until the identification of illegal immigrants is completed with reference to the 1951 census,” he said.

“If the census is conducted, it will pose challenges to our societal balance. So before conducting the census we demand updation of NRC and census later,” Malemba added.

He further claimed that preparations for the census were being carried out at two locations — the State Training Academy and Ima Keithel.

Several women vendors from the iconic Ima Market joined the demonstration along with other supporters.

As the protest intensified around the busy Khwairamband Bazaar area, security personnel were deployed in large numbers to maintain law and order.

Police attempted to disperse the gathering after protesters allegedly tried to block roads and disrupt normal movement in the area. During the police action, six persons sustained injuries and were provided medical attention.

The protest led to significant disruption of market activities around noon, with several shops temporarily shutting down.

Sources said the protesters had planned to gherao the Assembly after mobilising a large crowd at Ima Keithel, taking advantage of the ongoing Assembly session.

However, police intervened and dispersed the crowd before they could proceed towards the Assembly complex.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) on the same day locked down the State Institute of Training at Takyel, alleging that training programmes related to the upcoming Census were being conducted at the institute.

DESAM members staged the protest as part of the ongoing JFD movement demanding implementation of the NRC prior to the Census and any subsequent delimitation exercise in the state.

Speaking to reporters, DESAM convenor M. Somorjit Meitei accused the government of attempting to conduct the Census without considering the aspirations and concerns of the people of Manipur.

“We have come here today because the government is trying to conduct the Census without taking into consideration the aspirations of the people of Manipur,” Somorjit said.

“As part of the Just Fair Delimitation (JFD) movement, we strongly condemn the government’s initiative to start Census training for government employees. Such actions will not be tolerated,” he said.

He further warned that conducting delimitation without first detecting illegal immigrants could have serious consequences.

“Without detecting illegal immigrants first, conducting a delimitation exercise in the state will have fatal consequences. Many Assembly constituencies will go out of our reach, and this will have a huge impact on the people of Manipur,” he said.

Referring to the ongoing Assembly session, the DESAM leader urged the state government to adopt a resolution against delimitation without NRC.

“At present the Assembly session is going on, and therefore we request the honourable Chief Minister to take up a resolution in the House stating that no delimitation exercise should be conducted without the implementation of NRC,” he added.

The protest at the training institute was carried out peacefully, with DESAM members reiterating their demand that NRC be implemented before any Census-related activities are undertaken in the state.

The protests took place amid the ongoing preparations for the Census of India 2027, after the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the proposal to conduct the exercise on December 12, 2025.

The 16th Census, originally scheduled for 2021, had been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.