Students stage demonstration demanding NRC in Manipur

IMPHAL — As announced earlier, representatives and volunteers of six student bodies in violence-hit Manipur on Saturday staged a rally-cum-demonstration in Imphal demanding implementation of NRC (National Register of Citizens) in the state.

Holding placards which read ‘Detect and deport illegal immigrants,’ ‘Detect non-locals from Manipur,’ ‘Implement the NRC in Manipur,’ the rally started from Imphal College, Tiddim (or airport) road and marched towards the Raj Bhavan in Imphal.

However, they were prevented by a police team at Keishampat junction first and later at the gate of Raj Bhavan when they marched by shouting slogans such as ‘Implement the NRC in Manipur.’

Later, they returned to their starting point from Raj Bhavan gate.

Speaking to reporters on the sideline of the rally, Somorjit, a student leader, said that they’ve been demanding implementation of NRC in the state, but the authorities are yet to act on it.

“The detection of 32 Myanmarese out of 44 persons in a recent verification drive at Moreh shows that there is population invasion taking advantage of the present crisis,” he alleged.

On Friday, the six student bodies including Manipur Students’ Federation, Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur, Kangleipak Students’ Association, Students’ Union of Kangleipak, and Apunba Ireipakki Maheiroi Singlup announced to launch intense agitations starting from Saturday to demand NRC updation in the state.

They stated that implementation of the NRC is the only long-term policy to check the ever-increasing illegal immigrants in the state.

In April this year, they also organised a day-long consultative discussion on the implementation of the NRC in Manipur and resolved to urge the state government to take up necessary steps to implement NRC in the NE state.

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