Imphal: Students from 10 educational institutions took out a rally in Imphal on Thursday, demanding that National Register of Citizens (NRC) be updated in Manipur before the census.The students gathered at Thangmeiband in Imphal West and marched towards the CM’s office. Police intercepted them at Khoyathong, after which a delegation was allowed to meet CM Yumnam Khemchand Singh.During the meeting, the students urged Khemchand to press the Centre to conduct NRC before Census. They also demanded that illegal immigrants be identified through NRC before the census and sought a discussion on the issue during the state assembly session.According to the CM’s office, Khemchand assured the delegation that the govt will move a proposal for discussion on implementing the NRC in Manipur during the assembly session, beginning on September 2.He also informed them that the state govt supported the implementation of NRC, while noting that both conducting the exercise and ensuring its error-free implementation were issues that needed to be addressed.The protest took place a day after the state govt ordered the closure of all schools, colleges and higher education institutions from Thursday to Saturday, citing the prevailing law-and-order situation.The order covered institutions affiliated with the Board of Secondary Education, Manipur, Council of Higher Secondary Education, Manipur, and Central Board of Secondary Education, besides govt, aided and unaided colleges, universities and other higher education institutions.
