Manipur NRC strike brought normal life to a standstill across five valley districts on Tuesday as the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) enforced a 24-hour general strike demanding an update of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the Census is conducted in the state.
The shutdown began at midnight on August 31 and is scheduled to continue until midnight on September 1. Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur witnessed widespread disruption, with shops, markets and educational institutions remaining closed and public transport staying off the roads.
Manipur NRC strike shuts markets and roads
The Manipur NRC strike affected commercial and public activity across the five valley districts. Major markets and business establishments remained shut, while streets and highways were largely deserted.
Public transport, including buses and other commercial vehicles, stayed off the roads. Only a limited number of private vehicles were seen moving in several areas. Educational institutions also remained closed, adding to the disruption caused by the shutdown.
The latest protest came despite the Centre’s decision on August 31 to defer the house-listing phase of Census 2027 in Manipur. The decision followed a high-level meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan attended the meeting.
Why the NRC demand remains central
The JFD has maintained that the NRC should be updated before any census-related exercise is undertaken in Manipur. The organisation says an updated citizens’ register is necessary to distinguish genuine citizens from illegal immigrants before demographic data is collected.
JFD organisation secretary Longjam Ratankumar said the group decided to proceed with the strike because the Centre’s decision to defer the census did not provide a concrete assurance on updating the NRC. According to the organisation, repeated appeals and protests have not produced a satisfactory response on its main demand.
The issue has been closely linked to concerns over demographic change and the identification of undocumented migrants. However, the NRC demand has also become politically sensitive because different communities in Manipur have expressed different positions on the sequencing of the NRC and Census processes.
Government supports NRC demand but opposes shutdowns
The state government has previously supported the demand for an NRC exercise in Manipur. The state Assembly passed a resolution on August 5, 2022, urging the Centre to undertake the exercise. The resolution was reaffirmed on March 1, 2024.
Chief Minister Khemchand Singh, however, has appealed to organisations to avoid bandhs and road blockades. He said such protests can sometimes result in violence and cause hardship to ordinary citizens, including daily wage earners and students.
The latest Manipur NRC strike comes after another major shutdown in August. The JFD had then called a 48-hour general strike demanding that the NRC be updated before Census 2027. Markets, schools, banks, fuel stations and other establishments were affected across the valley. Road blockades were reported at several locations, while security forces used tear gas at some protest sites.
Census process faces further uncertainty
The dispute has already affected preparations for the census. Several district administrations in the Imphal Valley deferred or cancelled training programmes for census enumerators and supervisors amid protests over the NRC demand. Self-enumeration for Census 2027 had begun on August 17, while the main house-listing operation had been scheduled from September 1 to September 30.
The Centre’s decision to defer the census in Manipur has now changed that schedule. The Manipur High Court also ordered that the census exercise in the state be deferred until further orders, according to reports.
The timing of the latest shutdown is also significant because the Manipur Legislative Assembly is scheduled to begin its session on September 2. The NRC and census issue is expected to remain an important subject of public and political discussion.
With the JFD insisting on an NRC update and the government calling for peaceful democratic forms of protest, the standoff remains unresolved. The latest developments have temporarily halted census-related activity, but they have not addressed the central demand that prompted the Manipur NRC strike. Further discussions between the state, Centre and civil society groups are likely to determine the next course of action.
Vishal Mishra Flood Relief Concerts Bring Powerful Support to Assam and Nepal