IMPHAL, AUG 16:

Student protesters demanding implementation of the NRC in Manipur before going ahead with the Census staged a demonstration outside the Directorate of Census Operations here on Sunday, prompting police to fire tear gas shells to disperse them, officials said.

Members of the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) Students’ Wing gathered outside the directorate at Porompat in Imphal East district and raised slogans demanding that no Census activity be undertaken before the NRC is implemented in the state.

The protesters, who were stopped by security personnel from entering the office premises, also attempted to lock the main gate, following which police fired tear gas shells to disperse them.

One protester sustained minor injuries in the ensuing action, police said.

The protest came a day before the house-listing phase of Census 2027 is scheduled to begin with self-enumeration from August 17.

The main house-listing exercise is scheduled from September 1 to 30.

On Friday, the student protesters had disrupted a training programme for enumerators and supervisors at Moirang College in Bishnupur district, officials said.

Carrying placards that read “No NRC, No Census”, the protesters forced the trainees to leave the premises before the training could begin, they said.

JFD Students’ Wing convenor Naorem Wangamba said, “We have been demanding NRC to identify illegal immigrants. However, the government is seeking to conduct the census without carrying out NRC. NRC is important to save the future generations.” The JFD has been demanding that the NRC be conducted in Manipur before the census exercise to identify illegal immigrants. (Source: PTI)