Imphal, July 2 Leading Meitei and Naga community organisations on Tuesday jointly urged Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state to curb infiltration from across the border and protect the indigenous people.
Raj Bhavan officials said that leaders of the Coordinating Committee for Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) and the United Naga Council (UNC) jointly urged the Governor to implement the NRC with a base year of 1951.
COCOMI Coordinator Thokchom Somorendro and UNC President N.G. Lorho led the joint delegation, which also submitted a memorandum to the Governor.
COCOMI is the apex body of the Meitei community in Manipur while the UNC is the leading organisation of Nagas in the state.
Somorendro and Lorho informed the Governor that NRC implementation in Manipur is extremely vital to curb the influx of illegal immigrants, which they claimed, "shattered the demographic imbalance" of the northeastern state.
"Illegal migrants have already caused serious uncertainties and political insecurities to the native population of the state," the memorandum said.
The COCOMI and UNC leaders have urged the Governor that NRC should be implemented at the earliest so that scientific method of identification may be applied to detect illegal immigrants and ensure that no further infiltration occurs in the state henceforth.
"Random village recognition without verification must be stopped. They further mentioned that the abnormal increase of villages in specific districts should be examined and corrective measures must be taken up," they said.
Raj Bhavan officials said that the Governor assured the leaders of the two prominent organisations that necessary steps would be taken to ensure the NRC was implemented in the state and it is just a matter of time.
"The Governor said the matter has been discussed with the President, Union Finance Minister, and Union Home Minister during her recent visit to Delhi. The Central government is aware of the situation in the state. She also assured the delegation that all necessary action would be taken up in the best interest of the people of Manipur," a Raj Bhavan official said.
Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh often said that due to illegal migrants from Myanmar, a demographic imbalance is taking place in the state, adding it is a threat to the security of the nation as well as the indigenous people in the state. He claimed that the influx of illegal migrants from Myanmar led to the emergence of 996 new villages in the state in the last 18 years, and since 2006, massive deforestation occurred to establish settlements and carry out poppy plantations while these illegal immigrants started encroaching on the resources, job opportunities, land, and rights of the indigenous people.
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