Biren Singh Raises Manipur’s NRC Demand With Amit Shah Ahead Of Census Exercise
Biren Singh Pushes NRC Before Census.
Former Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday said he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and raised the demand for conducting the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state before any census exercise. Singh, who returned to Imphal after a two-day visit to the national capital, said the issue was among several matters he discussed with the Home Minister. Singh said he travelled to Delhi specifically to meet Shah and was able to hold the meeting on Monday after receiving an appointment.
According to the former chief minister, he apprised the Home Minister of concerns raised by people in Manipur and said Shah assured him that the issues discussed would be addressed soon. The NRC demand, Singh said, dates back to February 2023, when his government had sought an exercise to identify citizens in the state. He said the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Registrar General had subsequently informed the Manipur government that the request was under consideration.
The former chief minister said the demand had gained significance because people wanted the NRC process to precede any census exercise. Singh clarified that people were not opposed to the census itself but wanted the NRC to be conducted first. The issue has remained politically and socially sensitive in Manipur, where questions surrounding migration, citizenship and demographic changes have been subjects of longstanding debate. Singh said he reiterated these concerns during his meeting with Shah in Delhi.
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The former chief minister also said he discussed the impact of economic blockades and counter-blockades in Manipur. According to Singh, such disruptions have affected the movement of essential supplies and contributed to an increase in prices. He raised the issue with the Home Minister and sought attention to the difficulties faced by people because of disruptions to supply routes. Singh's remarks came after his return to Imphal, where he spoke about the outcome of his Delhi visit. He said the meeting with Shah provided an opportunity to raise issues concerning both the NRC demand and the economic difficulties caused by blockades.
His comments indicate that the former chief minister continues to press the Centre on matters that he considers important for the state's security, administration and economic stability. The NRC issue also carries added significance in the context of Manipur's prolonged ethnic tensions and the political debate over the state's demographic composition. Singh's latest appeal seeks to revive the demand for an NRC before the census, while the implementation and timing of any such exercise would ultimately depend on decisions by the Union government and relevant authorities.
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