Lagatar24 Desk
Imphal Aug 6: Two private member resolutions to establish a state population commission and implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) were unanimously adopted by the Manipur Assembly.
The resolutions were introduced by JD(U) lawmaker Kh Joykishan on Friday, the final day of the state assembly’s budget session.
He asserted that between 1971 and 2001, the state’s hill regions saw a population growth of 153.3 per cent, and from 2001 to 2011 it increased to 250.9 percent.
According to Joykishan, the population of the valley regions increased by over 125 percent between 2001 and 2011 and by about 94.8% between 1971 and 2001. The JD(U) MLA expressed his concern over the alleged infiltration of outsiders into Manipur.
He asserted that there are prohibitions on valley area residents relocating to the hills and that the enormous population growth, particularly in the hills, might be traced to the purported influx of outsiders. Manipur shares its borders with Myanmar.
Participating in the debate on the resolutions, Chief Minister N Biren Singh stated that any moves to create a population commission and execute the NRC in the state would be in the best interests of all the House members.
In the meantime, a number of civic organisations called for an updated NRC with a set base year cut-off to identify unlawful immigrants in the northeastern state.