THE streets across the Imphal valley and
surrounding districts came to a complete standstill during a 48-hrs general
strike called by the local organisations under the banner of “No NRC, No Census”.
Normal life was severely paralyzed as blockades and massive rallies swept
through Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur. These
intense demonstrations are taking place at a critical moment when the state of
Manipur is desperately trying its best to restore peace, normalcy, and
harmonious living among its diverse communities. Surprisingly, the Manipur
Legislative Assembly has previously passed resolutions pushing for the
register, and former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh even met Union Home Minister
Amit Shah to convey this public appeal, with plans to send a delegation of
lawmakers to New Delhi. Yet, one must ask why such divisive demands are being
pushed so aggressively right now. A National Register of Citizens has not been
passed by the Indian Parliament for the entire country, making its enforcement
here premature. Moreover, we only need to look at neighbouring Assam to see the
severe negative impacts of this exercise, where millions of genuine citizens
were left in legal limbo, facing endless bureaucracy, misery, and deep social
distrust.
To understand the core of this tension, one must examine the history of the concept and the formation of state itself. The idea of a citizenship register began in 1951 to compile data on Indian residents, but applying a 1951 base year to Manipur poses a clear logical problem because Manipur was not even a full state at that time. Historically, when the state was created, the vast hill areas were merged without the meaningful consent of the tribal populations who lived there. The hill regions were never under the control of the Meitei kings; they were always administered separately through traditional village chieftainships that operated independently. Today, Article 371C of the Indian Constitution provides for the Manipur Hill Areas Committee as the legal guardian of tribal rights, yet this constitutional body has been routinely undermined by successive state governments. Basic grassroots democracy has been denied to the hills for many years, as elections for the local Autonomous District Councils have not been held, leaving tribal governance completely paralyzed and deepening the trust deficit between the plains and the hills.
The demands put forward by bodies like the United
Naga Council call for an immediate citizenship register with 1951 as the base
year, stopping both the national census and constituency delimitation until
this exercise is done, and halting the recognition of new villages. However,
building a future on such rigid conditions threatens to reopen historical
wounds rather than bring stability. Demanding that no census or redrawing of
political boundaries take place until a complex, controversial register is
finished only delays essential development and democratic representation for
everyone. If a citizenship verification mechanism is ever to be considered to
check illegal immigration, it would be far more practical and just to apply it
specifically to the valley areas without encroaching upon the uniquely governed
tribal hill lands. True peace cannot be built on administrative shortcuts that
ignore historical realities. State leaders and public movements must step back
from maximalist demands and focus on genuine dialogue, administrative fairness,
and restoring trust before pushing policies that could cause lasting harm.
~ Zogam Today | Editorial | 20 August 2026
Hill Area Committee (HAC) Resolution: 11 March 2021
HAC Forwards ADC Delimitation Report to Manipur Govt
Strong Objection to Illegal Resettlement of Non-ST Meiteis in Scheduled Hill Areas
INDIA TO BE BLAMED FOR MANIPUR'S UNDERDEVELOPMENT
KOHUR Urges NCST to Act against Illegal Tribal Land Encroachment in Manipur
Tribal Solidarity March Held in Manipur | 03 May 2023
.png)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments not related to the topic will be removed immediately.