Manipur Govt. to Update NRC With 1951 as Base Year, Pg12

Key Highlights:

• The Manipur government announced its decision to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in the state using 1951 as the base year.
• Manipur Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas informed the Assembly that the state would pursue this with the Centre, citing previous resolutions.
• The move has created a division, with Meitei and Naga organizations supporting NRC before the Census and delimitation, while Kuki organizations deem it "premature and unjustified".
• So far, 14,992 out of 24,475 detected "illegal immigrants" have been pushed back into Myanmar, primarily from Chandel, Kamjong, and Tengnoupal districts.
• The influx of undocumented Myanmar nationals is linked to the Myanmar military coup in February 2021.
• The Centre recently deferred the Census exercise in Manipur amidst the ongoing debate.

Detailed Insights:

• The National Register of Citizens (NRC) is a register of Indian citizens, mandated by the 2003 amendment of the Citizenship Act, 1955, aimed at identifying and deporting illegal immigrants.
• The 1951 base year is significant for Manipur as it marks a period shortly after the abolition of a pass and permit system in 1950, which previously regulated the entry of outsiders.
• Meitei and Naga groups advocate for the 1951 base year to protect indigenous interests and address concerns over demographic changes due to alleged influx from Myanmar.
• The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) opposes the 1951 base year, arguing that remote hill areas had limited accessibility and enumeration in 1951, potentially leading to the exclusion of genuine residents.
• The Myanmar military coup in 2021 led to widespread instability and a significant outmigration of people into India's Northeast, including Manipur, impacting the region's demographics.
• The deferment of the Census in Manipur highlights the political sensitivity surrounding population enumeration and citizenship verification in the state.
• The demand for NRC before Census and delimitation is crucial as these processes determine political representation and resource allocation based on population figures.

Key Concepts Involved:

• National Register of Citizens (NRC): A register containing names of all genuine Indian citizens, used to identify and deport illegal immigrants.
• 1951 Base Year: A cut-off date used to determine citizenship based on residency records from the 1951 Census or earlier.
• Census: A decennial exercise conducted by the government to collect demographic, social, and economic data of the population.
• Delimitation: The process of redrawing boundaries of legislative assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies to ensure equal representation based on population.