- Fourteen civil society groups rallied in Imphal demanding the Census in Manipur be postponed
- The rally began at Tiddim Ground and ended at Thou Ground, proceeding peacefully through the city
- UCM President Shanta Nahakpam questioned the Census's credibility amid ongoing ethnic conflict
14 civil society organisations (CSOs), including several student and women organisations, participated in a rally held in Imphal on Sunday, demanding the postponement of the proposed Census exercise in Manipur.
The rally commenced from Tiddim Ground along Airport Road and proceeded through various parts of Imphal before concluding at Thou Ground, Thangmeiband. Hundreds of participants carrying placards and banners joined the procession, raising slogans against the Census exercise and urging the authorities to defer it until normalcy is restored in the state. The rally passed through several sensitive areas of the state capital without any obstruction from security personnel and remained peaceful throughout its course.
Addressing the gathering and speaking to media persons, United Committee Manipur (UCM) President Shanta Nahakpam questioned the feasibility of conducting a fair and credible Census while thousands of people affected by the ongoing ethnic conflict continue to live in relief camps across the State. He maintained that the prevailing circumstances are not conducive to an accurate enumeration process and argued that unresolved issues concerning internally displaced persons could significantly affect the reliability of Census data.
"How far will the Census exercise be successful when thousands of people are staying in relief camps?" Nahakpam asked, stressing that the concerns of conflict-affected communities must be addressed before the exercise is undertaken.
He said that the 14 CSOs, along with several other organisations, have already submitted representations to the Registrar General of India (RGI) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) seeking postponement of the Census exercise in Manipur. According to him, no response has been received from the RGI despite repeated appeals from various organisations. He alleged that the authorities appear determined to proceed with the Census according to the existing schedule, a move strongly opposed by the participating organisations.
With the Census exercise expected to commence in August, Nahakpam said the organisations would continue organising public meetings, awareness campaigns and other democratic forms of protest over the next two months to mobilise public opinion against the exercise if their concerns remain unaddressed.
