NRC protesters disrupt Census training programme in Manipur's Bishnupur

A group of student protesters demanding implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur disrupted a training programme for Census personnel in Bishnupur district on August 14, officials said.

Members of the students' wing of the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) entered Moirang College, where a training programme for enumerators and supervisors was scheduled to be held.

Carrying placards that read "No NRC, No Census", the protesters allegedly forced the trainees to leave the premises before the training could begin, officials said.

Police personnel were rushed to the college to bring the situation under control.

JFD students' wing convenor Naorem Wangamba said the organisation had been demanding an NRC exercise in Manipur to identify alleged illegal immigrants.

"We have been demanding NRC to find out the illegal immigrants. However, the government is seeking to conduct the census without carrying out NRC. NRC is important to save the future generations," he said.

Wangamba urged the government to respect the protesters' demands and refrain from proceeding with the Census until the NRC demand is addressed.

The JFD has been demanding that the NRC be conducted in Manipur before the Census exercise to identify illegal immigrants in the state.