Normal life across Manipur's Imphal Valley ground to a halt on Tuesday, 18 August, as a 48-hour general shutdown called by the Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) drew widespread public support. The strike, demanding that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) be updated in Manipur ahead of Census-2027, brought transport, commerce and daily activity to a near standstill across six districts.

Shutdown Shuts Down the Valley

The strike, which commenced at midnight on Monday and is scheduled to run until midnight on Wednesday, emptied roads and shuttered shops across Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Kakching and Jiribam — the six districts that together form the Imphal Valley. Vehicular movement was blocked at multiple points by shutdown supporters, with even VIP convoys, doctors, government employees and security personnel affected. Braving heavy rain, women protesters remained on the streets into the evening, enforcing the shutdown.

Violence Reported at Several Points

A police official confirmed the strike remained largely peaceful, though tension flared at isolated locations. In one reported incident, a security forces convoy allegedly deployed a mock bomb against a group of strike supporters, injuring a woman. In Porompat, Imphal East, at least four women protesters sustained injuries during police action and were taken to Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS). In Kakching district, members of the Apunba Nupi Lup and local youth staged demonstrations at Ema Market and Lamkhai Keithel in Hiyanglam-Wabagai. Civil society organisations, student bodies, Meira Paibis and Jiribam residents blocked National Highway-37 (NH-37), severing a critical road link between Jiribam and Imphal.

What the Former Chief Minister Said

Former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, who returned to Imphal after meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Monday, told reporters that the Centre is likely to act on the NRC demand. 'We have apprised the Home Minister of the situation regarding the NRC, the strike and the agitation. I believe the Home Minister will take some positive action regarding this vital issue,' Singh said. He added that Shah's response to the demand for conducting the NRC before the Census was positive, and that issues including demographic imbalance in Manipur were raised during the meeting. Singh was accompanied by MLAs during the New Delhi visit.

The NRC Demand and Its Context

The JFD's core demand — updating the NRC before Census-2027 — reflects long-standing anxieties in the Imphal Valley over demographic change and illegal immigration, concerns that have periodically fuelled agitations in the state. Manipur has been under severe ethnic tension since May 2023, and this shutdown is the latest pressure point in a complex political landscape. The NRC exercise, last conducted comprehensively in Assam, remains a politically charged issue across the Northeast. Notably, the Centre has not yet formally committed to a timeline for an NRC update in Manipur.

What Comes Next

With the shutdown set to lift at midnight on Wednesday, attention now shifts to whether the Centre follows through with concrete action, or whether the JFD escalates its agitation. Any formal announcement from the Home Ministry on the NRC is expected to be closely watched by civil society groups, political parties and the ethnic communities whose futures hinge on the outcome.