Centre’s approval required to implement NRC, says Manipur CM N. Biren Singh

IMPHAL: Amid protests and accusations against his government of adopting "delaying tactics in implementing the NRC", Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh said on Friday that his government is ready to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state, but that to do that, an approval from the central government is required.

He said that the state government has already constituted the Manipur State Population Commission (MSPC), which will identify the immigrants in the state based on the 1961 cut-off year. "People of Myanmar seeking asylum in Manipur is a different issue. At any cost, we would protect the demography as well as the tradition and culture of the indigenous people of the state," Singh told the media.

Manipur has witnessed a series of agitations for the past several months, with many women, students, and youth bodies, and civil society organisations agitating against the state government's alleged "delaying tactics" in introducing the NRC in the state and in the functioning of the MSPC.

According to the agitators, the influx of outsiders from both inside and outside the country, including people from Myanmar, Nepal, and Bangladesh, has significantly affected the identity, culture, economy, administration, and environment of Manipur. The agitating organizations also demanded detecting and deporting illegal immigrants from Manipur.

After the Manipur Assembly had last year adopted a private member resolution to establish a population commission in Manipur, the state Cabinet earlier approved the establishment of the MSPC. However, the required official process has yet to start for the functioning of the commission.

On December 11, 2019, the Central government introduced the ILP (Inner Line Permit) system to strictly monitor the movement of outsiders in the state and protect the interests of the indigenous people.

Meanwhile, the Manipur government has decided to identify those Myanmarese refugees -- who have sought asylum in the northeastern state -- and keep them at the designated detention centres. (IANS)