IMPHAL/UKHRUL: National People’s Party (NPP) Legislature Party leader and MLA M Rameshwar Singh on Tuesday called for the implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur before the proposed Census, raising concerns over alleged demographic changes and a sharp increase in the electorate in certain parts of the state.
Speaking to reporters in Imphal after returning from New Delhi, Rameshwar said he decided to publicly state his position on the issue as an indigenous Manipuri and as the leader of the NPP Legislature Party in Manipur.
He said conducting the Census before implementing the NRC would be “very unfortunate” under the present circumstances and appealed to the Centre and the concerned authorities to complete the NRC process in Manipur first.
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The MLA expressed concern over what he described as the increasing presence of illegal immigrants and changes in the demographic pattern of the state.
Referring to figures available from the Ministry of Panchayati Raj for the period between 1969 and 2023, Rameshwar claimed that the number of villages had increased significantly, particularly in Kuki-Zo-dominated areas, compared to other parts of Manipur.
He said he had submitted a memorandum highlighting these concerns to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, Northeast Security Adviser Ajit Lal, and the Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India.
Rameshwar said elected representatives of the Manipur Legislative Assembly should be responsible to bring such issues to the attention of the Government of India and other concerned authorities.
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“It is high time that the serious concerns regarding illegal immigrants and the changing demographic pattern of Manipur are properly examined,” he said.
The NPP MLA also pointed to what he described as a substantial increase in the number of electors in certain Assembly constituencies. According to him, the number of electorates in some Kuki-Zo-dominated areas had increased by as much as 75 per cent between 2012 and 2022.
He said such a significant increase warranted a detailed examination by the competent authorities, noting that only individuals aged 18 years and above are eligible to be enrolled as voters.
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According to Rameshwar, the increase in the number of electorates raised questions that could not be explained by natural population growth alone and required a thorough assessment.
He maintained that the reported demographic and electoral changes should be carefully examined to determine the factors behind them and to safeguard the interests of genuine citizens of Manipur.
The MLA further stressed the need to ensure that the electoral process remains transparent, lawful and constitutionally sound.
