JFD students’ wing locks government offices in Manipur over NRC-before-Census demand

Members of the students’ wing of the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) locked several government offices in Manipur as protests demanding updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the Census continued in the state.
 

The office-locking campaign was carried out as part of the JFD’s previously announced decision to boycott state and Central government offices, excluding those providing essential services such as health, education, water supply and electricity.
 

JFD student wing members visited various government offices to check whether they were functioning and locked some of the offices found operational.
 

In Thoubal district, the protesters visited the District Commissioner’s complex and locked the Exchange office, Social Welfare office and Weights and Measures office.
 

In Kakching district, the protesters locked the Waikhong Sub-Divisional Officer’s office.
 

The Directorate of Sericulture in Imphal East had also been locked by local Meira Paibis on Thursday, according to the protesters.
 

The JFD had announced the boycott from August 20, following a 48-hour general strike organised over the demand for NRC updation before the Census.
 

The protesters said the agitation would continue until the government takes steps to defer the Census and undertake the NRC exercise.
 

They said the movement was being carried out in the interest of what they described as a “safe and secure future” for the people of Manipur.

The protesters also urged the government not to take the issue of alleged illegal immigration lightly and demanded concrete measures to address their concerns.