Manipur Students Unite Against Census Exercise, Call for NRC Implementation

Students and civil society organizations in Manipur have joined forces to protest against the upcoming census exercise, with a two-day general strike announced from August 17.

The strike, called

The NRC is a database that tracks the citizenship status of individuals in India, and its implementation has been a contentious issue in Manipur due to concerns over illegal immigration.

Protesters argue that the census exercise should be halted until the NRC is implemented, using 1951 as the base cut-off year for identifying illegal immigrants.

The strike has received support from several civil society organizations, including the United Meitei Naga Committee Manipur and the Federation of Naga Civil Society (FNCC).

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Clashes between students and police were reported on Monday at the DM University campus, with at least two student protesters injured in an alleged lathicharge.

Students also staged protests across the Imphal valley, including a rally that began at Kwakeithel and proceeded towards Keisampat. The procession called for the collective boycott of the census exercise.

The All Manipur Students’ Union (AMSU) joined the protest, expressing concern over reports of a possible land swap between India and Myanmar that could affect Manipur’s territorial integrity.

Protests were reported from multiple locations across the Imphal valley, disrupting normal activities and prompting heightened security deployment at several sensitive points.