NRC protesters disrupted a training programme for Census personnel in Bishnupur district of Manipur on Friday, August 14, intensifying a growing dispute over the demand to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the population-counting exercise. The incident took place at Moirang College, where officials had scheduled training for enumerators and supervisors.
Members of the students’ wing of the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) entered the college premises carrying placards with messages including “No NRC, No Census”. Officials said the protesters forced trainees to leave before the programme could begin. Police personnel were subsequently deployed at the college to bring the situation under control.
NRC protesters challenge Census preparations
The disruption reflects the widening campaign against proceeding with the Census before an NRC exercise is undertaken in Manipur. The JFD has repeatedly argued that citizenship verification should come first, particularly amid concerns over alleged illegal immigration and demographic changes in the state.
JFD students’ wing convenor Naorem Wangamba said the organisation wants an NRC exercise to identify alleged illegal immigrants. He argued that conducting the Census without first addressing the NRC demand could affect the future interests of the state’s people. The group has called on the government to halt the Census process until its demand is considered.
The latest incident follows weeks of mobilisation by organisations supporting the demand. In late July, the JFD urged the Manipur government to take a clear position on updating the NRC before the Census and warned of intensified agitation if its demand was not addressed. The organisation said the government had already made preparations for the Census exercise.
Why the NRC demand has gained momentum
The demand for an NRC before the Census has increasingly become a major political and social issue in Manipur. Supporters say a citizenship register would help identify illegal immigrants and establish a clearer demographic record before population data is collected.
In July, 14 civil society organisations from Manipur also approached Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, urging support for implementation of the NRC before the proposed Census 2027. The organisations argued that updating the register was important for safeguarding the interests of indigenous communities and ensuring accurate population data.
The delegation also called for the revival of the State Population Commission and sought representation for Manipur in a High-Level Committee on Demographic Change constituted by the Centre. The groups said they had already raised the issue with state and central authorities.
Census preparations continue despite protests
The disruption at Moirang College comes as authorities continue preparations for the Census exercise. Training programmes are an important part of the process because enumerators and supervisors need to understand their responsibilities, procedures and digital systems before field activities begin.
Bishnupur has previously conducted district-level Census training. In February, a training programme on Phase-I activities covering houselisting and housing-related enumeration was organised by the Directorate of Census Operations, Manipur, and the Bishnupur district administration. Officials trained personnel in areas including Census management systems, mobile applications and field-level procedures.
The latest disruption therefore creates an additional challenge for officials tasked with preparing personnel for the upcoming exercise. Any repeated interruptions could affect the scheduling of training sessions and increase pressure on district administrations.
NRC protesters seek government response
The JFD’s position is that the Census should not move ahead until the government responds to its demand. The organisation has previously submitted memorandums to senior state and central authorities, including the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, Registrar General of India and Manipur Chief Minister, according to reports.
The issue has also drawn wider civil society participation. Public rallies and meetings have been organised in Manipur in recent months, with participants calling for the NRC to be updated before the Census. These groups maintain that population data collected without prior citizenship verification may not adequately address their concerns about demographic changes.
For the administration, the challenge is to maintain the Census schedule while managing protests and ensuring that personnel can complete their assigned preparations without disruption. The government has yet to publicly accept the protesters’ demand for an NRC before the Census.
The Bishnupur incident has brought the dispute directly into the operational preparations for the Census. With NRC protesters now disrupting a training programme, the disagreement has moved beyond rallies and memorandums into the field-level implementation of the exercise. How the state and Centre respond to the demand could determine whether further protests affect Census preparations in Manipur in the days ahead.
Nathu La Trade Resumes: India-China Border Trade Through Sikkim Pass Restarts After Six-Year Hiatus