Guwahati: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured Manipur chief minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh that the central government will fulfil the wishes of the people of the state, according to a statement from the chief minister’s secretariat.Khemchand’s meeting with Shah at his official residence in New Delhi on Wednesday afternoon has come amid strong demands for a National Register of Citizens (NRC) before the census in the Imphal valley.“Shri Amit Shah gave a patient hearing to all the issues relating to the state as raised by Shri Khemchand Singh. The Union Home Minister then informed the Manipur Chief Minister that the Central government will fulfil the aspirations of the people of Manipur,” the chief minister’s secretariat said in a statement. The official communique, however, made no specific reference any issues of the state including the NRC demand.The push for an NRC before the census has once again triggered sharp divisions in the state. Following massive public protests, the training programme for enumerators and supervisors has been halted in several districts, primarily in the Imphal valley, which is predominantly Meitei.In contrast, the Kuki‑Zo Council has rejected the NRC demand and insisted on proceeding with the census, which is already underway in Churachandpur and Pherzawl districts.The CM secretariat also said that Shah will visit Manipur in the first week of October, when he will lay the foundation stone of the proposed Senapati Medical College and review other developmental projects.The state cabinet recently approved the new medical college in Senapati, a district predominantly inhabited by Nagas.The CM secretariat added that Shah also lauded the state government for restoring the Imphal–Dimapur–Guwahati bus service and ensuring free movement on National Highway 2, a critical lifeline that had been disrupted for months due to violence and blockades.
