March 28, 2026 (TBL): Stressing the importance of NRC in Manipur, a day-long convention was held on ‘Save Manipur, No NRC, No Census’ at Wangjing Ningthou Laibung, located in Wangjing Wangkhei, Thoubal district.
During the convention, Youth Leader Chongtham Sanjoy stated that in the current situation of Manipur, conducting a census without NRC will uproot the existing indigenous communities. If immigrants who have entered Manipur from neighbouring countries are legalised, the land governed by the people’s laws will face greater difficulties.
He added that if such immigrants, who live alongside various indigenous communities, are not sent back from Manipur, future generations may say that we have destroyed our motherland, Manipur, just as people now lament the Merger Agreement of 1949.
The youth convention witnessed the participation of Youth Leader of Wangjing-Tentha Assembly Constituency Chongtham Sanjoy, a Chartered Accountant, and several prominent elders of Wangjing such as Yumnam Chaoba, Ashangbam Dhananjoy, Soibam Chaoba, and Haobam Rajen.
He further stated that the ruling political parties should not mislead the public. If a census and delimitation are conducted before NRC, the consequences of losing Assembly seats will become evident, and NRC should be implemented at an appropriate time. There is no room for compromise in identifying illegal immigrants before conducting a proper census.
He added that a unique history should be created. If people in relief camps, who are facing the brunt of the conflict, are not sent back to their homes, a census cannot be conducted. For a proper census, immigrants in Manipur must be identified and sent back. Otherwise, if the government attempts to conduct a census in the valley, the youths of Wangjing will participate in protests along with the people of Manipur and CSOs without hesitation.
