Manipur: Normal life affected in valley districts on 2nd day of strike over NRC demand
Manipur Strike Day 2: NRC Demand Disrupts Valley
Valley Districts Under Lockdown as Bandh Enters Second Day
Bharatmorningnews.com – Manipur's five valley districts came to a near standstill on Wednesday as a 48-hour statewide bandh entered its second day. The shutdown, called by the Campaign for Just and Free Delimitation — a students' body demanding that the National Register of Citizens be completed before the upcoming census — left markets shuttered, schools and colleges locked, and commercial establishments closed across Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur. Daily wage earners, students, and small-business owners reported significant disruption to their routines, with many unable to reach workplaces or access essential goods.
Public buses and shared transport vehicles remained parked throughout the valley areas for the duration of the second day. A small number of private cars were spotted moving through the districts, but overall footfall was minimal. In Imphal East and Imphal West, strike enforcers barricaded key thoroughfares using bamboo poles and large stone boulders. Placards bearing the slogan "No NRC No Census" were unfurled at multiple intersections, and vocal protests echoed through the streets well into the afternoon.
Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur saw sparse activity at government offices, while their educational institutions stayed shut for the full duration of the bandh. Hill districts such as Churachandpur, however, reported no measurable disruption from the statewide call, underscoring the geographic concentration of the agitation in the valley belt of Manipur and highlighting the uneven impact of the shutdown across the state's varied terrain.
Census Timeline and the Roots of the Demand
The self-enumeration phase of Census 2027 is slated to commence on August 17, with the principal house-listing operation running from September 1 through September 30 of this year. Students in Manipur have insisted that any census exercise in the state must be preceded by a full NRC exercise to identify what they describe as illegal immigrants. The demand has gained sustained momentum over recent weeks, with repeated protests, public rallies, and social-media campaigns organized across the valley districts to pressure both state and central authorities.
The agitation escalated sharply on Sunday when demonstrators gathered outside the Directorate of Census Operations in Imphal. Police deployed tear gas shells to break up the crowd, and several participants reported minor injuries. The following evening, August 16, hundreds of protesters in Imphal East and Imphal West carried out a torch rally reiterating the same demand, signalling that the movement would not be contained by a single day of protest and that further action was likely if the government did not respond.
Government Response and Political Position
On Tuesday, state government spokesperson and MLA Sapam Ranjan Singh announced that a delegation of legislators would travel to New Delhi to brief central leaders on the public's insistence for an NRC before the census. The move was framed as an attempt to bridge the gap between the students' demand and the central government's existing census schedule.
Chief Minister Y. Khemchand Singh, also speaking on Tuesday, affirmed the state's backing for the cause while simultaneously urging residents to find alternative channels of expression that would not disrupt the livelihoods of ordinary citizens.
"The government has been supporting the NRC demand. The assembly too has previously taken a resolution on the issue and conveyed to the Centre."
"I request all to take another form of agitation instead of resorting to bandhs and blockades as these affect daily wage earners and students."
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NRC demand in Manipur about? The Campaign for Just and Free Delimitation, a students' body operating in Manipur, is demanding that the National Register of Citizens be completed in the state before the Census 2027 exercise begins. The group argues that an NRC is necessary to identify and document all residents before any census house-listing takes place, and it views the absence of such a register as a gap that could allow undocumented migrants to be counted in the census.
Which districts in Manipur were affected by the strike? The five valley districts — Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching, and Bishnupur — experienced the most significant disruption, including transport shutdowns, school closures, and road barricades. Hill districts such as Churachandpur reported no measurable impact from the bandh.
When does the Census 2027 house-listing begin in Manipur? The self-enumeration phase is scheduled to start on August 17, and the principal house-listing operation will run from September 1 through September 30 of this year. The students' body seeks to insert a full NRC exercise ahead of these dates.