"Centre's approval required to introduce NRC in Manipur": CM Biren Singh

Imphal (Mpur) [India], April 1 : Mpur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday said that his government is ready to introduce the National Register of Citizens (NRC) but for this approval from the Centre is required.

"The NRC cannot be introduced alone by the state government, the Centre's approval is required for this," CM said in response to questions during a press conference in Mpur's Imphal on Friday.

Talking about the Mpur State Population Commission (MSPC) CM Singh said that the state government has already constituted the Mpur State Population Commission (MSPC) and it would identify the immigrants in the state.

"The state government has already constituted the Mpur State Population Commission (MSPC). We have appointed members and now through that, the immigrants in the states will be identified," Singh said.

"Identifying the illegal immigrants who have settled here will be based on the house-to-house survey is going to start very soon," he added.

Earlier on March 29, thousands of women from three Ima Keithels (all-women-run markets), members of the six student bodies carried out a rally from Khwairamband Keithel towards the chief minister's secretariat demanding implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Mpur.

Various civil society orgzations, particularly student bodies, have been demanding the implementation of NRC in the state in the backdrop of an unchecked surge in the population of illegal immigrants in the state.

Furthering the demand, six student bodies - AMSU, MSF, DESAM, KSA, SUK and AIM - held a demonstration in Imphal's Khwairamband Keithel, the business hub in the heart of the capital city.

The rally began from Khwairamband Keithel and was carried out towards Chief Minister's bungalow along Bir Tikendrajit Riad by carrying banners with slogans demanding the implementation of NRC in the State.