Torchlight march demanding NRC updation before Census escalates after protesters clash with police
A torchlight vigil in Manipur's Kakching district demanding an update of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the upcoming Census exercise turned violent on Sunday night after protesters clashed with police, officials said.
The demonstration was organised amid continuing concerns over the rehabilitation of people displaced by the ethnic violence that has affected the state since May 2023.
According to officials, protesters allegedly resorted to stone-pelting after police stopped the march near the Keirak Dam area. Security personnel responded by firing several tear gas shells to disperse the gathering. A few protesters sustained minor injuries.
Hundreds join three-kilometre protest march
Hundreds of villagers from Wabagai, Hiyanglam and neighbouring areas participated in the torchlight procession.
The protesters marched for nearly three kilometres towards the Kakching district headquarters while raising slogans including "No NRC, No Census".
Their principal demand is that the NRC should be updated before the Census is conducted in the state.
Protesters also raised concerns over the status of internally displaced persons (IDPs), arguing that people displaced by the prolonged ethnic conflict should be resettled before the population enumeration exercise takes place.
Police stop march near Keirak Dam
As the procession approached the Kakching district headquarters, police personnel stopped the protesters near the Keirak Dam area.
Officials said police asked the protesters to return, following which tensions escalated.
Some members of the gathering allegedly began pelting stones at the police. Law enforcement personnel subsequently used tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
The confrontation resulted in minor injuries to a few protesters, officials said.
The situation was brought under control after the crowd was dispersed, although authorities remain watchful amid continuing demonstrations related to the NRC and Census.
Why protesters are opposing the Census
The central issue behind the demonstrations is the timing of the Census exercise.
Protesters want the NRC updation process to take place before the Census, while also demanding the resettlement of people displaced by the ethnic conflict.
They have expressed concerns that conducting population enumeration before displaced residents return to their homes could create difficulties in accurately recording the state's population.
The issue has become particularly sensitive because population documentation, identity and settlement patterns have broader implications for administration and public policy in Manipur.
Displaced people remain at the centre of the debate
The ethnic violence that began in May 2023 resulted in large-scale displacement across Manipur.
Thousands of people were forced to leave their homes and have remained away from their original places of residence.
The rehabilitation and return of displaced families have consequently become major issues in the state's political and social discourse.
Protesters demanding changes to the timing of the Census have linked their position directly to the need to address the status of these internally displaced people.
Manipur has faced prolonged ethnic violence
Manipur has remained affected by ethnic tensions between Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023.
More than 260 people have been killed and thousands have been displaced since the conflict began.
The violence has also disrupted normal economic and social activity in several parts of the state.
Against this backdrop, administrative exercises involving population records and identification have attracted heightened public attention.
NRC demand adds another layer to the Census debate
The NRC is intended to address questions surrounding citizenship and resident documentation.
In Manipur, however, demands surrounding the NRC are closely connected with concerns over migration, demographic changes, identity and the displacement caused by the ongoing conflict.
Supporters of the demand argue that updated records are necessary to establish an accurate demographic database.
Opponents and other stakeholders have raised concerns about the timing and possible consequences of such an exercise in a state where many residents remain displaced.
Earlier protests and general strike
The Kakching incident follows a wider campaign against conducting the Census before the NRC is updated.
A 48-hour general strike was also observed in parts of Manipur over the issue.
Protesters have repeatedly demanded that the government address the concerns of displaced residents before moving ahead with the population enumeration exercise.
The latest torchlight procession indicates that the issue continues to generate significant mobilisation at the grassroots level.
Law-and-order challenge for administration
The latest clash presents a fresh law-and-order challenge for the state administration.
Authorities will have to balance the right to peaceful protest with the need to prevent demonstrations from turning violent.
Given Manipur's recent history of ethnic conflict, even relatively localised confrontations can carry wider sensitivities.
Security agencies are therefore expected to remain particularly cautious in areas where protests over identity, displacement and demographic issues are taking place.
Rehabilitation remains a key concern
For displaced families, the larger question extends beyond the Census.
The restoration of homes, access to livelihoods and the safe return of displaced residents remain important components of the broader recovery process.
The government's handling of rehabilitation is therefore likely to influence public sentiment surrounding other administrative initiatives.
The NRC and Census debate is taking place within this wider context of efforts to restore normalcy after years of disruption.
What happens next
The immediate priority for authorities will be to prevent further clashes while maintaining communication with groups organising the protests.
Further demonstrations cannot be ruled out if protesters continue to insist that NRC updation and rehabilitation should precede the Census.
The administration will also need to address concerns surrounding displaced residents and explain how their status will be reflected in official records.
For Manipur, the challenge is not simply conducting an administrative exercise but ensuring that the process is seen as credible and inclusive by communities affected by the conflict.
Situation remains sensitive
The violence in Kakching underscores the continuing sensitivity surrounding NRC updation, the Census and rehabilitation of internally displaced people in Manipur.
Although Sunday's confrontation was brought under control after police used tear gas, the underlying issues remain unresolved.
With the state still recovering from prolonged ethnic violence, the manner in which authorities handle population documentation and displaced residents will remain closely watched in the coming weeks.