Imphal, April 27: The Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee on Monday launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh, accusing him of spreading confusion among citizens by linking the National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise to the conduct of a fresh Census. The Opposition party called the Chief Minister's remarks "misleading" and said they reflect a broader pattern of contradictions within the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on the NRC issue.

Congress Calls Out Legal Distinction Between NRC and Census

Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) Vice-President Hareshwar Goswami, speaking to media persons at Congress Bhavan in Imphal, stated categorically that the NRC is updated under the Citizenship Act, 1955, while the Census is conducted under the Census Act, 1948. He stressed that both processes operate under entirely separate legal frameworks and are administered by different authorities.

Goswami argued that those holding constitutional or high public office have a responsibility to ensure their statements on critical policy matters are accurate and do not mislead or confuse ordinary citizens. This comes amid an already volatile political climate in Manipur, where ethnic tensions and displacement continue to affect governance.

Assam NRC Experience Cited as Counterevidence

Pointing to the precedent set in Assam, Goswami noted that the NRC there was updated using the 1951 Census as a base document alongside other admissible records — without requiring a fresh Census. This, he argued, directly contradicts the Chief Minister's assertion that a new Census must precede any NRC update.

Notably, Assam remains the only state in India to have completed an NRC update, a process that concluded in August 2019 after years of legal and administrative proceedings. The Manipur Congress leader's reference to Assam underscores that the CM's framing of the issue is not only legally inaccurate but also inconsistent with established practice.

BJP's Internal Contradictions on NRC Highlighted

Goswami also alleged a glaring inconsistency within the BJP itself on the NRC question. He recalled that in November 2019, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced in Parliament that the NRC would be updated nationwide. However, just weeks later in December 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reportedly speaking at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, stated there had been no discussion of implementing the NRC across the country.

Further adding to the contradiction, Goswami cited a statement made in February 2019 by then Chief Minister N. Biren Singh during an Assembly session, in which he said a recommendation to update the NRC had already been forwarded to the Union government. The Congress leader questioned why the condition of conducting a Census prior to the NRC was not raised at that time — particularly since both former and present state leadership belong to the same party.

Congress Urges Deferral of Census Until Normalcy Restored

In a related development, the Manipur Congress has formally called for the postponement of the upcoming Census exercise in the state. The party insists the process must be deferred until full normalcy is restored and all Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) affected by ethnic violence are able to return to their native places.

In a memorandum submitted earlier this month to Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla, MPCC President Okram Ibobi Singh — who served as Chief Minister for three terms from 2001 to 2017 — highlighted serious law-and-order concerns. He noted that between February 8 and April 10, at least eight people were killed in separate violent incidents across multiple districts, including two children and a Border Security Force (BSF) jawan.

Singh also urged the government to expedite the investigation into the killing of two minor children in Tronglaobi village, Bishnupur district, on April 7, demanding that those responsible be brought to justice within a fixed timeframe.

What Happens Next

With the Census scheduled to roll out nationally and the NRC debate far from settled, Manipur finds itself at the intersection of unresolved ethnic conflict and contested legal processes. The Congress's dual demand — for clarity on the NRC framework and a delay in the Census — signals that the issue will likely intensify in the state legislature and beyond. All eyes are now on whether the BJP government in Manipur will respond to these allegations or double down on the Chief Minister's original position.