Streets across Imphal lit up with flaming torches as a massive group of women marched through the city to demand an immediate update to the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Demonstrators urged the government to establish 1951 as the base year for identifying legitimate citizens and insisted that the NRC exercise be completed before conducting the upcoming national census.
Key Demands and Highlights
- 1951 Base Year: Protesters are calling on authorities to use 1951 as the benchmark date to determine indigenous citizenship, emphasizing the protection of local demographics.
- NRC Before Census: Demonstrators are insisting on a clear stance: "No NRC, No Census." They argue that carrying out a census without updating the citizenship register first risks legitimizing illegal immigration and changing demographic structures.
- Protection of Indigenous Identity: Organizing groups expressed serious concerns regarding demographic shifts in the state and called for stricter law enforcement to curb illegal cross-border settlements.
- Heavy Security Deployment: Security forces and police personnel were deployed along key stretches—including Keishampat Junction and major national highways—to maintain order and manage crowd movement.
Background
This demonstration is part of an ongoing campaign organized across Manipur by civil society organizations and Meira Paibi (women torchbearers) groups. Similar torch rallies and marches have taken place across key routes such as Tiddim Road, Khurai-Lamlong, and NH-2, reflect lingering anxieties over border security, demographic stability, and native land rights in the region.
