Imphal: Manipur chief minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Sunday urged people to avoid bandhs and blockades and adopt other democratic forms of protest as he left for Delhi amid protests demanding that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) be updated in the state before the Census.The Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD), which is spearheading the protests, announced a phased agitation, including a 24-hour statewide general strike from midnight on Monday, if the Centre fails to announce by then that the NRC will be updated and the Census deferred in Manipur.Before leaving for New Delhi, Khemchand said the Manipur and Union govts were committed to fulfilling the aspirations of the people of Manipur. “Therefore, calling a bandh will not serve any purpose and will instead create more hardship to the people,” he said.Khemchand praised the leaders of 14 civil society organisations and the delegation of MLAs who recently visited New Delhi to campaign for the implementation of the NRC in Manipur and met central leaders and officials. He said their efforts had received a positive response in New Delhi.The chief minister said his visit to New Delhi is to meet top central leaders and discuss various ongoing issues of the state.Khemchand said daily wage earners, students and women vegetable vendors were among those worst affected by bandhs. He said disruptions prevented vegetable vendors from selling their farm produce and earning their daily livelihood, causing hardship to their families.He also said students also suffer a lot as bandhs disrupt the academic environment. Saying that students are the future pillars of society, he appealed to all stakeholders not to disrupt the academic calendar in the state.The CM warned that strict action would be taken against agitators who violated the law or attempted to create disorder.He also highlighted the resumption of road transport services between Imphal, Dimapur and Guwahati after more than three years. The Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati bus service would reduce the burden on people who otherwise had to pay high airfares to travel from Imphal to Guwahati, he said.The JFD has planned further protests in Sept, coinciding with the scheduled sittings of the Manipur Legislative Assembly on Sept 2, 3 and 7.The organisation has demanded that the assembly pass a resolution stating that the Census should not be conducted in Manipur until the NRC is updated, with 1951 as the base year.“If the house fails to take a decision in accordance with the wishes of the people, an indefinite statewide general strike will begin from midnight of Sept 7,” the JFD had said.If the Assembly adopts a resolution supporting the demand, the state government would be given September 8 and 9 to issue an official order deferring the Census, the organisation said. It has further announced that a statewide general strike would begin from September 10 and continue until the Census is deferred if the government fails to issue the order.
