Imagi Meira threatens to boycott census

    18-Mar-2026
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By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Mar 18: Decrying the failure of the MLAs of both ruling and Opposition benches to take a resolution on updating the NRC with respect to Manipur in the just concluded State Assembly session, Imagi Meira has threatened to boycott the scheduled census exercise if the State Cabinet does not take a decision on the issue within seven days.
Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club here today, Imagi Meira president Thokchom Sujata  said it is a matter of grave concern that the MLAs of the State could not adopt a resolution in favour of first updating the NRC before carrying out census operations. Census operations must be preceded by NRC and this is a collective voice of the people of Manipur, she said.
If the Government chooses to overlook this collective voice and conduct census operations forcibly, untoward incidents may unfold, she warned.
As the State Assembly could not adopt a resolution on the issue, the State Cabinet must take a concrete decision within seven days, Sujata said.
If the State Cabinet fails to take a concrete resolution within seven days and the census operations are launched forcibly, the State Government must be held accountable for all the consequences resulting thereof, she said.
Moreover, Imagi Meira and the people of Manipur will boycott all census enumerators, she said.
Sujata decried that the just concluded Assembly session gave little or no time to the widespread and prolonged violence which erupted on May 3, 2023 and its impacts.
Recalling how the State Government boldly announced that it would protect hill people coming to Imphal, Sujata questioned the State Government’s failure to provide security protection to Malem Thongam’s plan to visit Churachandpur on a peace mission. She added that the State Government is unable to take any concrete action against those people who have been openly challenging the rule of law and committing all kinds of unlawful activities.